Israel systematically torturing 9,000 Palestinian prisoners: UN report

Israeli authorities are systematically torturing approximately 9,000 Palestinian prisoners according to documented evidence submitted to the United Nations by Israeli human rights organizations. The comprehensive report reveals widespread abuse including sexual violence, attack dogs, starvation practices, and scalding with boiling water against detained Palestinians.

Systematic Torture Methods Documented

The UN submission details that torture methods have dramatically diversified and intensified since Israel's military operations began in Gaza on October 7, 2023. Palestinian prisoners face systematic sexual assault, prolonged starvation, organized dog attacks, and being burned with boiling water according to documentation from Israeli human rights groups. The report indicates these practices represent institutionalized abuse rather than isolated incidents within the Israeli prison system.

Dramatic Increase in Detentions and Deaths

Administrative detainees held without trial have tripled from 1,100 before October 2023 to over 3,500 by September 2025, with an additional 4,000 Palestinians arrested during military operations in Gaza. This massive expansion of detention has been accompanied by a sharp rise in prisoner fatalities, with 94 Palestinian detainees confirmed dead while in Israeli custody since the Gaza conflict began. Israeli courts have facilitated this system by classifying arbitrarily detained Palestinians as "illegal combatants" to justify indefinite detention without trial.

Institutional Complicity and Legal Failures

The report highlights that Israeli security agency Shin Bet has repeatedly admitted to arbitrary detentions while avoiding accountability through what it terms "Special Investigation Mechanisms." Israeli human rights organizations have submitted 238 torture complaints to Israel's High Court since October 2023, yet the court has addressed only 20 of these cases. This institutional resistance to judicial oversight has created an environment where systematic abuse continues without meaningful legal challenge or accountability mechanisms.