Amman, Sept 17 (Petra) – The United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territory on Wednesday called on Israeli authorities to urgently end systematic torture and other ill-treatment of Palestinian detainees in prisons and other detention facilities and to protect and guarantee their right to life.

In a statement, the office said Israeli authorities had "deliberately" imposed detention conditions amounting to torture and other forms of ill-treatment, contributing to the deaths of detainees while fostering a culture of impunity and denying access to the International Committee of the Red Cross. At least 75 Palestinians including a 17-year-old child died in Israeli detention between Oct. 7, 2023, and Aug. 31, 2025, including 49 from Gaza, 24 from the West Bank, and two Israeli citizens of Palestinian descent.

The office emphasized that Israeli authorities must immediately comply with the Israeli Supreme Court ruling issued on Sept. 7, which ordered the state to improve both the quantity and quality of food provided to Palestinian detainees. The court highlighted that the deliberately imposed conditions by Israeli authorities fail to meet basic nutritional standards.

The UN rights office documented the systematic use of torture and ill-treatment against Palestinian prisoners, including repeated beatings, mock drownings, sexual violence including rape, and the imposition of inhumane conditions such as starvation and deprivation of clean clothing, hygiene supplies, and medical care.

It said such acts constitute serious violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law, amount to war crimes, and in some cases may reach the level of crimes against humanity.

//Petra// AF

17/09/2025 21:58:11