Gaza city: Palestinian group Hamas denounced on Thursday the systematic killing and torture of Palestinian detainees in Israeli detention, calling for international action to stop these abuses. Citing human rights data, Hamas stated that 94 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli prisons since the start of Tel Aviv's war in the Gaza Strip in October 2023.
According to Anadolu Agency, Hamas described these incidents as reflecting an organized criminal approach, turning prisons into direct killing grounds. The group issued a statement on its official Telegram channel, highlighting that Palestinian prisoners face inhumane violations, including severe beatings, scalding with boiling water, attacks by dogs, and sexual assaults. These claims are supported by firsthand testimonies and credible human rights reports.
Hamas criticized the Israeli practices as war crimes under international humanitarian law, calling upon the international community, the UN, and human rights organizations to pressure Israel to stop crimes against prisoners. They emphasize the need to guarantee detainees' rights as upheld by international covenants and norms.
A report submitted by Israeli human rights organizations to the UN Committee Against Torture corroborates Hamas's claims, stating that Palestinian detainees endure severe torture, including rape with objects, physical assaults, scalding, exposure to extreme cold, and deprivation of basic needs and medical care. The report confirms that at least 94 Palestinians have died in Israeli custody since October 2023.
Despite these allegations, Israel denies the presence of systematic violations. However, human rights groups dispute this claim and call for urgent international intervention to address what they describe as systematic crimes against detainees.
More than 10,000 Palestinians, including women and children, are currently held in Israeli prisons, as reported by Palestinian, Israeli, and international human rights groups. Since October 2023, abuses against Palestinian prisoners have reportedly escalated amid an ongoing conflict, resulting in the deaths and injuries of tens of thousands in Gaza and widespread destruction in the enclave.