The United Nations Committee Against Torture has concluded that Israel operates a “de facto state policy of organized and extensive torture” against Palestinian detainees, especially since the escalation of the Gaza conflict in October 2023. The committee expressed “serious concern” over repeated reports of severe beatings, dog attacks, electrocution, waterboarding, prolonged stress positions, and sexual violence. Detainees are routinely subjected to humiliation, forced to behave like animals, denied medical treatment, and held in excessive restraints, sometimes leading to amputations.
Escalation of Human Rights Violations
Since October 2023, the death toll among Palestinian detainees has been described as “abnormally high,” with 75 Palestinians dying in custody and no government officials held accountable for these fatalities. The committee highlighted the extensive use of Israel’s unlawful combatants law, which allows for the prolonged detention of thousands of Palestinians—men, women, and children—without trial. As of September 2025, 3,474 Palestinians were held in “administrative detention,” a practice that violates due process and international human rights standards.
Children classified as security detainees face isolation, limited contact with family, and restricted access to education, contravening international norms. The committee stressed that such practices constitute a breach of human rights and warned that Israel’s policies may amount to war crimes, crimes against humanity, and even genocide under international law.
Systematic Torture and Lack of Accountability
The UN committee found substantial evidence indicating that Israel’s security forces are executing a
“de facto state policy of systematic and widespread torture”.
The committee stated that Israel’s legislation lacks a distinct offence criminalizing torture and often exempts public officials from criminal culpability under the “necessity” defence, which is used to justify unlawful physical pressure during interrogations. The committee noted that only one conviction for torture or mistreatment was recorded during the two-year period under review, with an Israeli soldier receiving a seven-month sentence for assaulting Gaza detainees, a punishment deemed insufficient given the gravity of the crimes.
The committee expressed deep concern about the absence of investigations or legal actions regarding torture allegations, urging Israel to initiate independent inquiries and ensure accountability for those responsible, including high-ranking military personnel. The lack of accountability perpetuates a culture of impunity, undermining both the rule of law and international human rights standards.
Conditions in Detention Centers
Evidence indicates that Palestinians in Israeli detention centers frequently face deprivation of food and water, brutal beatings, canine assaults, electrocution, waterboarding, and sexual violence. Some detainees are reportedly kept in permanent restraints, denied access to restroom facilities, and coerced into wearing diapers. The committee described these conditions as “enforced disappearance” for many families, who have waited months to learn the fate of their detained relatives.
The committee concluded that such treatment constitutes “war crimes and crimes against humanity,” and that evidence of a “de facto state policy of systematic and widespread torture” by Israel is among the actions that may qualify as genocide under international law. The committee was “deeply shocked” by the testimonies received, which detailed harrowing abuse and neglect in detention centers.
International Response and Human Rights Implications
The UN committee’s findings add to mounting evidence from Israeli and Palestinian human rights organizations regarding the torture, abuse, and neglect in Israel’s detention centers. The committee argued that the routine enforcement of Israeli policies in occupied Palestine could constitute torture under international law and called for independent investigations and accountability for those responsible. The committee further stated that evidence of a
“de facto state policy of systematic and widespread torture”
by Israel amounts to acts that could be classified as genocide under international law.
The UN report on Israel’s torture policy presents a stark indictment of the systematic abuse and lack of accountability faced by Palestinian detainees. The evidence points to a deliberate and widespread pattern of torture, with grave implications for international law and human rights. The committee’s call for independent inquiries and accountability is urgent, as the current impunity for state officials and security forces perpetuates a cycle of abuse and injustice. The international community must respond decisively to ensure justice and uphold the principles of human rights and the rule of law.