Palestinian detainees in Israeli prisons are reportedly facing severe physical and psychological torture, according to the Al Mezan Center for Human Rights, which calls for accountability for these abuses. In a statement released on Tuesday, the human rights organization described how the detainees are subjected to extreme treatment, including being forced to stand naked under the scorching sun on sharp gravel, verbal threats, and threats of rape, death, and bomb attacks, as well as threats against their families.
Al Mezan notes that testimonies and evidence indicate a level of violence reminiscent of the atrocities documented at Guantanamo Bay and Abu Ghraib—infamous sites of torture where American soldiers abused detainees. According to the organization, the prisoners have also been deprived of food, water, sleep, and access to sanitation for extended periods, while facing extremely harsh living conditions.
The organization estimates that at least 2,650 Palestinians taken from the Gaza Strip after October 7 are still held by Israeli authorities, including 12 children and two women. Among them, approximately 300 face trials, while 2,350 are classified as “unlawful combatants” without defined periods of detention or specific charges.
Al Mezan reports that the torture has resulted in several deaths, though there are no definitive records of the total number of Palestinians who have died in Israeli custody. The Palestinian Prisoner’s Club has published the identities of 22 Palestinians who died as a result of torture or medical neglect.
According to Al Mezan, the objective of subjecting Palestinian residents of Gaza to abuse appears to be part of a broader pattern of mistreatment that aligns with genocide. These findings support reports from the United Nations and other human rights groups that have condemned the widespread abuse.
Recent research published by Israel’s Channel 12 has shed light on the sexual violence inflicted on Palestinian detainees, which has triggered international condemnation and corroborated numerous witness accounts. Last month, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights released a report detailing how Palestinians detained since the Hamas-led attacks on October 7 have been subjected to torture and mistreatment.
Some detainees reported that dogs were unleashed on them, while others mentioned being subjected to waterboarding or having their hands tied while being hung from the ceiling. Both male and female detainees also described incidents of sexual and gender-based violence in their accounts.
In a report titled “Welcome to Hell,” the Israeli human rights organization B’Tselem presented testimonies from 55 Palestinians, including 21 from the Gaza Strip, all of whom had been detained in Israeli prisons. The abuses they described included “frequent acts of severe, arbitrary violence; sexual violence; humiliation and degradation; deliberate starvation; impossible sanitary conditions; and sleep deprivation.”
B’Tselem reported that at least 60 Palestinians have died in Israeli custody since October 7, including around 48 individuals from Gaza. They are urging the International Criminal Court (ICC) to investigate “individuals suspected of planning, leading, and committing these crimes,” noting that it is not feasible to conduct such investigations within Israel, as all state systems, including the judiciary, have been mobilized to support these alleged torturers.