UN issue warning against rising torture of Palestinian prisoners

UN experts warned Monday of "escalating use of torture" by Israel against Palestinian prisoners since the war in Gaza began and called for efforts to prevent crimes against humanity.

A report published by the UN human rights office in July said that since the October 7 Hamas attacks, thousands of Palestinians -- including medics, patients, residents and captured fighters -- have been taken from Gaza to Israel, "usually shackled and blindfolded".

Thousands more have been detained in the West Bank and Israel, it added.

In Monday's press release, ten UN experts, who are mandated by the Human Rights Council but do not speak on its behalf, said that "escalating use of torture against Palestinians in custody is a preventable crime against humanity".

They denounced the "absolute impunity" as well as "the silence by Member States following the emergence of testimonies and reports of alleged maltreatment and torture".

The experts called for pressure to be put on Israel to implement a system of access, surveillance and protection of Palestinian detainees.

"What is required now is nothing short of an independent, international presence of human rights observers. They must become the world's eyes," the statement said.

For their part, the experts claimed to have received "substantiated reports of widespread abuse, torture, sexual assault and rape, amid atrocious inhumane conditions, with at least 53 Palestinians apparently dying as a result in 10 months".

Reports from men and women described detainees "locked in cages, tied to beds, blindfolded and wearing nappies, undressed, deprived of adequate health care, food, water and sleep" and subjected to "electrocution, including of the genitals, blackmail and cigarette burns".

The war in Gaza began when Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, which resulted in the death of 1,197 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official Israeli figures.

Militants also seized 251 hostages, 111 of whom are still held captive in Gaza, including 39 the military says are dead.

Israel's retaliatory air and ground campaign in Gaza has killed at least 39,623 people, according to the health ministry in Hamas-ruled Gaza, which does not give details of civilian and militant deaths.