At least 98 Palestinians have died in custody since 2023, says Israeli charity

At least 98 Palestinians have died in Israeli custody over the past two years in a “systematic policy of killing”, according to a charity report.

- BEL TREW CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT

Physicians for Human Rights - Israel (PHRI) said its findings, released yesterday, were based on freedom of information requests, autopsy reports and medical files, as well as testimonies from former detainees and medical staff.

They point to a “consistent pattern” of brutal violence and neglect by guards, including autopsy reports showing evidence of head injuries, internal bleeding, fractured ribs, severe malnutrition, denial of lifesaving medication and the fatal failure to treat diseases like cancer.

PHRI says the deaths are likely an underestimation due to what it describes as the Israeli army's “policy of enforced disappearance” since the start of the war on Gaza in October 2023.

“The unprecedented number of Palestinians who have died in Israeli custody over the past two years, together with clear evidence of deaths caused by torture and medical neglect, points to a deliberate Israeli policy of killing Palestinians while in detention,” said Oneg Ben Dror from PHRI.

“These findings, and the ongoing failure of Israeli law enforcement to prosecute those responsible, turn Israeli law itself into a fig leaf and a tool for concealment. The data collected in this report underlines the urgent need for an independent international investigation to end this policy and ensure accountability for those responsible.”

Ms Ben Dror added that to date, not a single soldier, prison guard or Israel Prison Service (IPS) doctor had been prosecuted, even in cases with clear evidence of violence or medical neglect.