UN report denounces Hamas attack, says Israel operating ‘de facto policy of torture'

A fresh report from the Committee against Torture (CAT) at the United Nations has strongly accused Israel of operating “a de facto State policy of organised and widespread torture,” particularly in the occupied Palestinian territories since the conflict erupted on October 7, 2023.

The report, which evaluates Israel’s compliance with the UN Convention against Torture over the past two years, outlines a litany of grave abuses. These include repeated severe beatings, electrocution, waterboarding, the use of prolonged stress positions, dog attacks, sexual violence, extreme restraints, and even alleged cases of detainees being forced to act like animals or being urinated upon.

According to the CAT, the “material conditions across all places of deprivation of liberty” have significantly deteriorated—a decline the committee links to what appears to be a deliberate policy of collective punishment.

Alarmingly, the report notes that as many as 75 Palestinians have died in custody since the Gaza conflict began. The committee criticised the lack of accountability, almost none of these deaths have resulted in prosecutions or convictions.

Highlighting legislative gaps, the CAT pointed out that Israel currently lacks a distinct offence explicitly criminalising torture. Existing laws, it says, allow public officials to evade responsibility under a “necessity” defence when applying unlawful pressure during interrogations.

The committee urged Israel to pass clear legislation that aligns with the UN Convention and to reveal the so-called “special means” used in interrogations.

In its concluding observations, the CAT recommended that Israel establish an independent, impartial commission to investigate all allegations of torture and ill-treatment tied to the conflict, prosecute offenders including senior officers, and grant immediate access for humanitarian aid and relief workers to detainees and Gaza.

While the UN report unequivocally condemns torture and dehumanising treatment, it also acknowledged the horror of the initial attacks on Israel by the militant group Hamas. The Committee expressed condolences for lives lost and emotional scars suffered by victims of those attacks.

Still, the severity and scale of alleged abuses documented—and the apparent absence of effective domestic accountability—have prompted international concern. With this report out, the UN is basically telling Israel: it’s time for honest reforms, clearer accountability, and respect for human rights, no matter how tough things are on the ground.