A United Nations investigation has concluded that Israel maintains an organized and systematic policy of torture against Palestinian prisoners, with practices intensifying dramatically following the outbreak of hostilities in Gaza on October 7, 2023. The UN Committee Against Torture released its findings on Friday, documenting what it describes as “widespread and organized” abuse sanctioned at the state level.
The comprehensive report highlights critical legislative gaps within Israel’s legal framework, noting the absence of specific legislation criminalizing torture. Current Israeli law contains provisions that exempt public officials from criminal liability through the “necessity defense” principle, effectively creating conditions where torture can occur without legal consequence.
Committee experts expressed profound concern that these practices represent a de facto state policy rather than isolated incidents. The report further condemns Israel’s ongoing occupation policies in Palestinian territories, stating they create “cruel, inhuman or degrading living conditions” for the civilian population in violation of international standards.
The findings emerge alongside growing international condemnation of Israeli military conduct following the circulation of video evidence appearing to show the summary execution of two unarmed Palestinian men in Jenin, occupied West Bank. The United Nations human rights office characterized the killings as “brazen” and called them “another apparent summary execution.
UN human rights chief Volker Turk has demanded independent, prompt investigations into all Palestinian fatalities, emphasizing that those responsible for violations must be “held fully to account.” Summary executions constitute war crimes under the Geneva Convention and established international law.
The widely circulated video evidence shows two Palestinian men exiting a building with raised arms and lifted shirts, visibly demonstrating they were unarmed and presented no immediate threat to surrounding Israeli security forces.