Arab League demands international probe into Gaza prisoner torture
10:52, 02/11/2026, MondayU: Update: 11:16, 02/11/2026, Monday
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The Arab League on Sunday called for an independent international investigation into the alleged systematic torture of Palestinian detainees from Gaza held at Israel’s Ramla Prison, demanding unrestricted access for monitors and accountability for perpetrators.
The Arab League on Sunday called for an independent international investigation into the alleged systematic torture and abuse of Palestinian detainees from Gaza held at Israel’s Ramla Prison, condemning the reported assaults as violations of international humanitarian law and crimes against humanity.
Crimes against humanity
In a statement issued from Cairo, the regional bloc condemned repeated assaults against prisoners in the facility’s Rakevet wing, noting that detainees had sustained injuries and burns from the reported abuse. It described the practices as clear violations of the Geneva Conventions and the Convention against Torture, stating that such acts constitute “crimes against humanity” requiring immediate accountability.
Pattern of abuse
The condemnation followed an Oct. 27 report by the Palestinian Prisoners’ Media Office detailing recurring assaults against Gaza detainees on Fridays and Saturdays. The office said guards used batons, pepper spray, tear gas, rubber bullets and stun grenades during the attacks, adding that police dogs were deployed inside cells. It also reported that detainees were taken to a room without surveillance cameras where they were subjected to further assaults, warning that continued abuse endangered the lives of sick and wounded prisoners.
Calls for access
The Arab League demanded an immediate end to the abuse and urged Israeli authorities to allow unrestricted access for the International Committee of the Red Cross and independent human rights monitors to document conditions and provide medical care. It also called for the immediate release of sick and wounded prisoners and an end to arbitrary detention, urging the UN Human Rights Council and the UN General Assembly to take concrete action to protect Palestinian prisoners and end impunity.
There was no immediate response from Israeli authorities to the Arab League statement. Ramla Prison is located in central Israel and is administered by the Israel Prison Service.
