A United Nations report has accused "Israel" of maintaining a "de facto state policy of organised and widespread torture," particularly targeting Palestinian detainees, while expressing deep concern over the impunity enjoyed by Israeli security forces amid ongoing war crimes.

The findings, released on Friday by the UN Committee Against Torture as part of its regular review of countries party to the 1984 UN Convention Against Torture, detail a disturbing pattern of abuse. The report cites repeated severe beatings, dog attacks, electrocution, waterboarding, prolonged stress positions, and acts of sexual violence.

According to the committee, Palestinian detainees were subjected to humiliation, including being forced to imitate animals and being urinated on. The report also noted systemic denial of medical treatment and excessive use of physical restraints, sometimes leading to amputations.

The committee expressed grave concern over the widespread use of "administrative detention" to detain thousands of Palestinians without charge or trial. Citing data from the Israeli human rights organization B’Tselem, the report highlighted that, as of the end of September, 3,474 Palestinians were held under this policy.

The report, covering the period since the beginning of the war on Gaza on October 7, 2023, drew attention to the high number of children detained, many without charge. It emphasized that the age of criminal responsibility under Israeli law is just 12, with some children under that age also reportedly detained.

Children classified as security detainees are reportedly subjected to severe restrictions, including solitary confinement, lack of family contact, and no access to education, practices that violate international legal standards, urging "Israel" to amend its laws to prohibit the solitary confinement of minors.

UN slams 'Israel’s' lack of accountability for war crimes and deaths in custody

The UN report states that at least 75 Palestinians have died in Israeli detention centers during the course of the Gaza war, describing the death toll as "abnormally high" and affecting exclusively Palestinian detainees. No Israeli officials have been held accountable for these deaths.

While "Israel" has denied the use of torture and defended its detention practices, the UN committee pointed out that the state has failed to prosecute serious violations. The inspector responsible for investigating complaints related to interrogations brought no criminal charges over the past two years, despite numerous documented allegations.

Only one conviction for torture or ill-treatment was cited by "Israel": a soldier who received a seven-month sentence in February for beating bound and blindfolded detainees from Gaza using his fists, a baton, and his rifle. The committee found the sentence “does not reflect the severity of the offence.”

On the day the report was released, three Israeli police officers were briefly detained and questioned in connection with the killing of two unarmed Palestinians in Jenin. The Palestinians were shown on video having surrendered, but were nonetheless executed.

Exclusive footage for Palestine TV shows Israeli occupation forces executing two Palestinian youths in #Jenin, the occupied #WestBank.

According to Palestinian authorities, Israeli occupation forces shot and killed two Palestinian youths from point-blank range in the Jabal Abu… pic.twitter.com/iJBok1vRTo

— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) November 27, 2025