By Palestine Chronicle Staff  

The United Nations called for investigations after documenting dozens of Palestinian prisoner deaths and allegations of systematic abuse.

Key Developments

• The UN verified the deaths of at least 90 Palestinian prisoners since October 2023.
• UN officials cited torture, starvation, and sexual violence allegations.
• Officials called for independent investigations into deaths and abuses.
• Reports included allegations involving child detainees.

UN Calls for Independent Investigations

International calls for independent investigations into conditions inside Israeli prisons have intensified after the United Nations documented the deaths of at least 90 Palestinian prisoners since October 7, 2023, amid mounting allegations of torture, starvation, and systematic abuse.

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The developments come as human rights concerns continue to grow over the treatment of Palestinian detainees held in Israeli prisons and detention facilities.

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights condemned in a statement the “inhumane” treatment of Palestinian prisoners and called for independent, transparent, and impartial investigations into all reported cases involving deaths, torture, ill-treatment, and other alleged violations.

According to the commission’s spokesperson, Thameen Al-Kheetan, Palestinian prisoners face systematic torture and abuse inside Israeli detention facilities.

Quds News Network quoted him as saying that the Palestinian detainees had experienced various forms of mistreatment, including sexual and gender-based violence.

Al-Kheetan added that documented cases included allegations involving children.

Death Toll and Detention Conditions

According to the UN, at least 90 Palestinian prisoners have died in Israeli custody since the beginning of the war.

Al-Kheetan stated that one of those who died was a 17-year-old prisoner who showed severe signs of starvation before his death.

He added that Israeli authorities had announced additional deaths but had not released sufficient information allowing independent verification of the victims’ identities.

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The UN spokesperson described the situation as part of a broader detention system imposed on Palestinians that includes arbitrary arrests and legal procedures that violate international standards.

He stressed the need to end practices that violate international human rights law and called on Israel to fulfill its obligations as an occupying power.

New York Times Report Sparks Debate

The UN comments followed a report by New York Times journalist Nicholas Kristof that included testimonies from former Palestinian detainees regarding conditions inside detention centers.

According to the report, 14 former Palestinian prisoners described incidents involving sexual abuse and mistreatment inside Israeli detention facilities.

The report generated extensive reactions inside Israel and renewed scrutiny of prison conditions.

Red Cross Access Blocked

Separately, the Isreali newspaper Haaretz reported that Israeli authorities had refused to allow representatives from the International Committee of the Red Cross to visit thousands of Palestinian detainees.

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The report said the restrictions remained in place despite Israel being a signatory to the Third and Fourth Geneva Conventions.

Haaretz also reported a significant deterioration in detention conditions and linked the situation to policies implemented under Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir.

The newspaper cited accounts from recently released prisoners who described detainees as having become “ghosts and skeletons” following prolonged detention conditions.

The reports have added to growing international pressure for accountability and expanded monitoring of detention facilities.

(PC, QNN, UN website)