The UN Committee Against Torture has said it has evidence that Israel is following a “systematic and widespread practice of torture” as a de facto state policy against Palestinians. The committee particularly criticized Israel’s use of the Unlawful Combatants Law to detain children, pregnant women, and elderly people. British media outlet BBC reported the findings.
The committee regularly reviews the records of countries that have signed the Convention Against Torture. Governments and human rights organizations submit testimonies and evidence during the process. In the recent review of Israel, Israeli and Palestinian rights groups provided horrifying descriptions of conditions inside detention centers. According to allegations, Israel has detained thousands of Palestinians since the Hamas attacks on October 7, 2023.
Under Israel’s administrative detention law and the Unlawful Combatants Law, many detainees — who are not considered captured combatants — are held for long periods without access to lawyers or family. Many Palestinian families reported that for months they did not know where their loved ones were — something the UN committee described as “enforced disappearance.”
Detainee Abuse Allegations
The most serious allegations concern conditions inside detention. Evidence indicates that Palestinians are regularly denied food and water, subjected to severe beatings, dog attacks, electric shocks, waterboarding, and sexual violence.
There are also allegations that many detainees are kept permanently shackled, not allowed access to toilets, and forced to wear diapers.
The committee stated that these acts constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity. It added that Israel’s systematic and widespread torture practice meets one of the key elements that can amount to the crime of genocide under international law — though Israel has consistently denied accusations of genocide in Gaza.
Committee member Peter Vedel Kessing of Denmark said they were deeply shocked by what they heard. The committee also expressed concern that allegations of torture have not been investigated or prosecuted. It urged Israel to conduct independent investigations and take action against those responsible, including senior military officials.
Israel has long accused the UN of bias. The country has not commented on this report. However, during the hearing, Israel’s ambassador Daniel Meron dismissed these allegations as “false information.” He said that despite facing a terrorist organization, Israel is acting in accordance with its moral values.
UN Acknowledges Both Sides’ Violations
The committee’s report also condemned the Hamas attack of October 2023 and acknowledged Israel’s security challenges. However, it warned that one party’s violation of international law does not permit the other to violate it.
There is also ambiguity in Israel’s domestic laws, which say the Convention applies only to Israeli territory — not to occupied areas like Gaza and the West Bank. Many international legal experts disagree with this interpretation.
Growing International Pressure
This report comes amid increasing international pressure regarding Israel’s human rights record. On Friday, the UN human rights office in Geneva said the killing of two Palestinians by Israeli soldiers in the West Bank appeared to be “summary executions,” noting that video footage showed the two men raising their hands in surrender.
Meanwhile, UN emergency agencies say thousands of families in Gaza are still living in tents in the cold winter rain. Adequate humanitarian aid is not entering Gaza, and Israeli airstrikes targeting Hamas continue, despite an ongoing ceasefire.
