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At least 75 Palestinians, including a 17-year-old, have died in Israeli detention since Oct. 7, 2023, according to a report released on Wednesday by the UN human rights office in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Anadolu reports.
The report accused Israeli authorities of systematic torture, deliberate ill-treatment, and denial of medical care.
The office said Israeli authorities “must urgently end the systematic torture and other ill-treatment of Palestinians held in their prisons and other places of detention and protect and ensure their right to life.”
Of the deaths, 49 were from Gaza, 24 from the West Bank, and two were Palestinian citizens of Israel. Another 19 deaths were acknowledged by Israeli authorities without sufficient details to verify identity. At least five Palestinians, including a 16-year-old, died in custody shortly after being shot by Israeli security forces, some without timely medical attention.
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The report cited repeated beatings, waterboarding, stress positions, sexual violence, starvation, and denial of hygiene and medical care.
At least 22 detainees who died had pre-existing health conditions, while testimonies and autopsy reports in 12 cases indicated death followed torture or beatings.
The office also drew attention to Israel’s refusal to comply with a Sept. 7 High Court ruling ordering improved food supplies for prisoners and attempts to conceal reports on detention conditions.
“Unless rebutted by investigations respecting international standards for each incident, Israel remains responsible for every single death in custody,” it said, warning such practices may amount to war crimes or crimes against humanity.
“Israel has the obligation to end all practices that amount to torture or other ill-treatment, and to protect all detainees against such practices, including by ensuring prisoners have regular access to their families, their lawyers, the courts and that independent bodies such as the (International Committee of the Red Cross) ICRC conduct regular inspections of places of detention,” the rights office said. “Israel must protect and respect the right to life of all prisoners, and must provide access to adequate medical care, including to ensure that prisoners do not die from preexisting conditions.”
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