The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights criticized Israeli practices, torture and ill-treatment of Palestinian detainees.. stressing that thousands of Palestinians who have been arrested since last October are subjected to torture and other forms of cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment, including sexual assault against women and men.
The commission stated, in its latest report reported by the United Nations Information Center, that thousands of Palestinians who were transferred from Gaza to Israel were handcuffed and blindfolded, most of the time, including medical personnel, patients, residents fleeing the conflict and fighters, in addition to thousands of others in the West Bank and Israel.. stressing that they were generally held in secret and without being informed of the reason for their detention or being allowed to contact a lawyer or access to effective judicial review.
According to the commission’s report, at least 53 Palestinian detainees have died in Israeli military facilities and prisons, while the commission indicated that Israel announced that it is investigating a number of soldiers on charges of abusing a Palestinian prisoner Earlier this month at Sde Teiman prison in the Negev desert.
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, said: “The staggering number of men, women, children, doctors, journalists and human rights defenders held in deplorable conditions since 7 October, most without charge or trial, coupled with ill-treatment, torture and violations of due process guarantees, raises serious concerns about the arbitrary and punitive nature of such arrests and detentions.”
The commission said: “Israel has not provided any information on the fate or whereabouts of many of the detainees, and has also denied the International Committee of the Red Cross access to the facilities where they are being held.”
The report by the UN commission confirmed that many of the detainees in Gaza, including UNRWA staff, were detained while in schools, hospitals, residential buildings or at checkpoints during forced displacement. For large numbers of Palestinians from the north of Gaza to the south.. pointing out that in most cases, men and teenage boys were detained, as were women, including a woman over eighty years old.
The report of the Commission also included testimonies of men detained by the Israeli army in Gaza, including UNRWA employees, stating that soldiers forced them to enter tunnels and buildings in Gaza in front of them and that Palestinians were detained en masse for examination by the Israeli army or because they remained in areas covered by evacuation orders issued by the Israeli army.
Türk stressed that international law requires that all those deprived of liberty be treated with humanity and dignity, and strictly prohibits torture or other ill-treatment, including rape and other forms of sexual violence.. stressing that secret and prolonged detention with no contact “may amount to a form of torture”.
The High Commissioner renewed his call for the immediate release of all hostages Those still detained in Gaza and all Palestinians arbitrarily detained by Israel.. calling for immediate, comprehensive, independent, impartial and transparent investigations into all incidents that led to serious violations of international law and ensuring that perpetrators are held accountable and that all victims and their families have the right to redress and reparation.
