The United Nations Committee against Torture has called on "Israel" to establish an independent commission to investigate claims of torture and ill-treatment of Palestinians, warning that conditions in Gaza have “gravely intensified” since the outbreak of war.

The 10-member expert panel expressed concern over reports of a “de facto state policy of organized and widespread torture,” citing allegations including severe beatings, electrocution, waterboarding, prolonged stress positions, dog attacks, and sexual violence.

While the committee condemned October 7, 2023, it criticized the "disproportionate nature of Israel’s response and policies" in the occupied Palestinian territory, which could lead to “cruel, inhuman or degrading living conditions” for Palestinians.

Committee rapporteur Peter Vedel Kessing told the Israeli delegation that the experts were “deeply appalled” by descriptions of systematic torture, including cases involving children. He urged "Israel" to prosecute responsible officials, including superior officers, and ensure humanitarian access to Gaza.

IOF systematically killing Palestinian detainees: Hamas

Hamas accused the Israeli occupation on Thursday of implementing a systematic policy of killing Palestinian detainees inside its prisons following the martyrdom of more than 94 detainees since the beginning of the war on the Gaza Strip in October 2023.

In an official statement, the movement described the killings as part of an "organized criminal approach" that has transformed Israeli prisons into deliberate killing fields targeting Palestinian detainees.

Hamas warned of grave and systematic violations committed against detainees, citing reliable human rights documentation and direct eyewitness testimonies.

The movement listed severe abuses, including:

• Brutal physical assaults and beatings;
• Burning detainees with boiling water;
• Use of attack dogs against inmates;
• Sexual assaults and other forms of torture.

These acts, the statement said, represent not only violations of human dignity but also crimes punishable under international humanitarian law.

Hamas asserted that these violations constitute "full-fledged war crimes" and are part of the broader "bloody system" through which the occupation runs its detention facilities. The movement emphasized that the scale and persistence of abuse reflect deliberate state policy, not isolated incidents.

International silence enables continued violations

The statement condemned ongoing international silence, particularly by Western governments and institutions, regarding the conditions of Palestinian detainees. Hamas said that this silence amounts to an "open mandate" for the occupation to continue its policy of killing and torture behind prison walls.

Hamas criticized the lack of accountability and the failure to investigate or prosecute Israeli officials responsible for crimes against humanity.

The Movement called on the United Nations, the International Committee of the Red Cross, and all relevant human rights organizations to take immediate and concrete action to stop the occupation’s crimes against Palestinian detainees. It also demanded that detainees’ rights be upheld in accordance with international laws and conventions, and that those responsible be held to account through international legal mechanisms.

Martyred detainees bound, blindfolded, tortured

On a related note, earlier this month, Gaza’s forensic department revealed that most of the bodies of Palestinian martyrs returned by the occupation were found blindfolded, with their hands and feet bound, clear evidence, it said, of brutal torture and execution.

The announcement followed "Israel’s" handover of 30 bodies under a ceasefire deal. Many of the bodies reportedly bore signs of severe abuse, including burns, mutilation, and binding marks. International organizations have been urged to enter Gaza to document these violations and hold the occupation accountable for war crimes.

The Guardian had reported that at least 135 mutilated bodies were returned from the Israeli Sde Teiman military base, a site linked to summary executions and torture. The handovers took place under a ceasefire agreement signed on October 13 by the US, Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey.