UN sounds alarm: Israel accused of “state-sanctioned torture” against Palestinians
The UN Committee Against Torture has raised serious concerns about the treatment of Palestinians in Israeli prisons, reporting that since October 2023, cruel practices have become institutionalized. At the same time, other UN bodies are documenting war crimes and crimes against humanity, including attacks on medical facilities in Gaza and the brutal treatment of Palestinian detainees.
De facto state policy of torture
In 2025, the UN Committee Against Torture emphasized that Israel operates a “de facto state policy of organized and mass torture and ill-treatment.” The committee called on Israeli authorities to establish an independent investigative commission and carry out essential legal reforms.
Earlier, in 2024, the UN Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territories concluded that Israel committed war crimes and crimes against humanity through attacks on medical facilities in Gaza and the mistreatment of prisoners. These abuses have been linked to directives from top government officials, including regulations issued by Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir regarding prison conditions.
Methods and scale of detention
The UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has documented the detention of thousands of Palestinians since October 7, 2023, at least 53 deaths in Israeli custody, and widespread patterns of mistreatment considered torture.
UN investigators and human rights organizations report practices classified as torture or cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment. These include severe beatings, forced stress positions, electric shocks, simulated drowning, dog attacks, prolonged restraints, deprivation of food and water, and sexual and gender-based violence, sometimes combined with blindfolding and forced nudity.
UN child rights observers note repeated patterns of torture against children, including isolation, electric shocks, handcuffing, deprivation of basic needs, and sexual violence. The Committee Against Torture highlights the use of “unlawful combatant” provisions and mass detention of minors, pregnant women, and elderly individuals.
Legal gaps and lack of accountability
The committee stresses that Israel lacks a separate anti-torture law aligned with the UN Convention Against Torture and allows the defense of “necessity,” which can shield officials who apply physical pressure during interrogations. The UN reports an “almost total” lack of effective investigations or prosecutions for alleged cases of torture and mistreatment, including those resulting in death. The Commission of Inquiry linked harsh prison practices to ministerial directives and provocative public statements, indicating an environment that encourages rather than prevents abuse.
UN bodies are calling on Israel to explicitly criminalize torture, abolish the “necessity” defense, disclose and ban abusive “special measures,” and establish an independent commission to investigate allegations and hold perpetrators accountable, including senior officers. They also demand an end to arbitrary and mass detentions of Palestinians — especially children — and compliance with International Court of Justice directives to end the unlawful occupation.
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