The UN human rights representative in the Palestinian territories, Ajith Sunghay, on Friday leveled serious accusations against Israel regarding its treatment of Palestinian prisoners. Some of those arrested reported being blindfolded, beaten and eventually released wearing only a diaper.
According to the UN, thousands of men in the Gaza Strip have been arrested and detained by Israeli forces in conditions that could amount to torture since the start of the Gaza war.
Captured in unknown locations
Sunghay spoke at a news conference via video link from Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip about a meeting with several released people who said they had been held by Israeli security forces for between 30 and 55 days in unknown locations.
“A man was only allowed to shower once”
“They described being beaten, humiliated, abused” and subjected to treatment “that could amount to torture,” the UN official said. “One man said he was only allowed to shower once during his 55 days in detention. There are reports of men who were later released, but only in diapers.”
Sunghay said the statements were consistent with reports collected by the UN human rights office on the large-scale detention of Palestinians. He could not give an exact number but said it was likely in the thousands.
Israel is committed to ensuring that all prisoners are treated in accordance with international human rights and humanitarian law. “All cases of ill-treatment or torture of arrested or detained persons must be fully and transparently investigated,” Sunghay said.
The Israeli army disputes the accusations
The Israeli military told AFP news agency that “the arrested persons will be treated in accordance with international law.” The country’s military said people suspected of involvement in terrorist activities will be arrested and interrogated. “Individuals not involved in terrorist activities will be released.”
The suspects had to remove their clothing so that it could be searched and it could be determined that there were no “explosive vests or other weapons” hidden inside, the report said. Their belongings would be returned to those arrested as soon as possible.
On October 7, the Islamist Hamas, classified as a terrorist organization by the US and EU, attacked Israel in an unprecedented major attack, killing around 1,140 people and kidnapping around 250 people as hostages in the Gaza Strip. In response to the attack, Israel declared war on Hamas and launched a large-scale military operation in the Gaza Strip. More than 24,750 people have been killed there since then, according to the latest figures from the Hamas Health Ministry, which cannot be independently verified.
Source: Krone
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