TEL AVIV, Israel, November 17, 2025 (AP).—The number of Palestinians who die in Israeli custody he shot himself almost 100 people since the start of the war in Gazaaccording to a report published today Monday by a human rights organization which says that the systematic violence and the denial of medical care in prisons and detention centers contributed to many of the deaths analyzed.
The panorama that emerges from the report of Physicians for Human Rights-Israel (PHRIPhysicians for Human Rights-Israel) agrees with the findings of The Associated Press, which interviewed more than a dozen people about prison abuses, medical neglect and deathsanalyzed the available data and reviewed autopsy reports.
The AP spoke with a former guard y a former prison nurse, an Israeli doctor who cared for malnourished prisoners brought to his hospital, ex-detainees and their family members, lawyers that represent them, as well as with human rights organizations.
He former military prison guard known for his harsh treatment of Palestinians, told the AP that detainees were often chained and beaten with batons and kicked, and that these facilities were nicknamed “cemetery” because many prisoners died there.
He agreed to speak with the AP to raise awareness about violence in the Israeli prisons and he did so on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals.
Of the 98 prisoner deaths documented by PHRI from the attack against Israel on October 7, 2023 that triggered the guerra27 occurred in 2023, 50 in 2024 and 21 this year, the most recent on November 2.
War in Gaza: more Palestinians would die in Israeli prisons
PHRI says the actual death toll during this period is “probably much higher,” and notes that Israel has refused to provide information on hundreds of Palestinians detained during the guerra.
Fewer than 30 Palestinians died in Israeli custody in the 10 years before the war, according to PHRI.
But since guerrathe prison population more than doubled and reached 11,000 inmates, due to mass arrests, mainly in Gaza y West Bank.
The number of deceased prisoners grew even more rapidly during that period, according to data from PHRI.
PHRI documented the deaths through interviews with former detainees and prison medical staff, analysis of reports prepared by doctors who witnessed autopsies at the request of the families of the deceased prisoners, and the confirmation of dozens of deaths through access to information requests.
Loss of morale and professionalism
“The alarming rate at which people die in Israeli custody “reveals a system that has lost all moral and professional controls,” he stated. I heard Abbasa director of PHRI.
Last year, the head of the Israeli prison system — Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir— boasted of having reduced prison conditions to the legal minimum.
Under pressure from human rights organizations, conditions improved slightly.
He Israel Prison Service declared that it operates in accordance with the law. He declined to comment on the death toll and referred any questions to the Israeli military.
The military said it is aware that some detainees have died, including people with pre-existing illnesses or combat-related injuries.
But the army spokesman, Nadav Shoshanistated that the figure of muertos in the iin accordance with the PHRI is inflated, although he declined to say what the military believes the real number is.
the army It indicated that complaints of abuse or inadequate conditions are evaluated, and that those who violate the military code of conduct are punished and sometimes subject to criminal investigations.
War in Gaza: beatings of Palestinians in Israeli prisons
Although he was reluctant at first, the former guard of the Sde Teiman military prisonin the south of Israelsaid he had participated over time in the beatings of prisoners.
One morning, at the beginning of the Israel’s war against Hamas, the guard came to work and saw a Palestinian motionless and lying on his side in the yard. However, no guard rushed to see what had happened to him. the manwho andhad died.
“It was like everything was the same with the dead man,” he said. the guardwho did not know the cause of death.
The prisoners They were always chained by their hands and feet, and were beaten if they moved or spoke, he revealed. the guardwho added that almost all of them preferred to urinate and defecate where they were instead of asking to go to the bathroom.
The Sde Teiman ex nurse stated that the chains used to immobilize the hands and feet of many prisoners They caused injuries so severe that some required amputation of limbs.
She spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation.
During the several weeks he worked there early last year he did not witness any deaths, but added that the staff sometimes spoke about the death of detainees.
She quit the job because she didn’t like the abusive treatment prisoners received, she said.
Guards ordered to reduce the number of deaths
the army He said that the prolonged use of handcuffs is only applied in exceptional cases when there are “significant security considerations.”
Even in these cases, the health status of the detainees is taken into account, he explained.
Just a few Gaza prisoners They are treated this way currently, he added.
The commanders—who also participated in the beatings—ordered the guards to reduce the number of deaths, according to the guard of Sde Teimanwho spent several months there.
In the end, cameras were installed, which helped mitigate the abuse, he said.
Soldier found guilty of abusing Palestinians
Twenty-nine prisoners have died in Sdeeman since it began guerraaccording to PHRI.
Earlier this year, a Israeli soldier was declared guilty of abusing Palestinians in Sde Teiman y sentenced to seven months in prisonaccording to the armywho said this shows that there is accountability.
Nevertheless, prisoners’ lawyers they express that Israel It rarely carries out serious investigations into alleged violence and this exacerbates the problem.
As an example of the climate of public opinion, the chief lawyer of the israeli army (Jufat Tomer-Jerushalmi) was recently forced to resign after acknowledging that she had approved the leak of a video surveillance that is at the center of an investigation into prosecution of serious sexual abuse against a Palestinian in Sdeeman.
🇮🇱 | General Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi, the top lawyer for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), resigned after admitting that she authorized the release of a video showing the rape and abuse of a Palestinian detainee in the Sde Teiman camp. pic.twitter.com/s586FOoXUs
— Alerta News 24 (@AlertNews24) October 31, 2025
The leak, which sought to defend the decision of his office prosecute guards for alleged abusesinstead generated strong criticism from hardline Israeli leaders who leaned towards the guards.
Several soldiers were charged in that case, which is still pending before the military court.
Israeli soldiers remove and surround a Palestinian prisoner. Then they beat him and sexually abuse him
Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi, Israel’s former chief military prosecutor, was detained after admitting to releasing a video showing Israeli soldiers beating and sexually abusing… pic.twitter.com/UDhcJOUVpK
— DW Español (@dw_espanol) November 6, 2025
Medical negligence and abuse
It is difficult to determine with certainty the cause of death of the majority of prisoners. Sometimes, at the request of families, Israel authorized doctors to witness the autopsies and will provide information about what they observed to their relatives.
Eight reports reviewed by the AP revealed a pattern of physical abuse and medical neglect.
In one of them, Mohammad Husein Alia 45-year-old man who died in the Kishon detention centerpresented multiple signs of physical aggressionwhich probably caused a cerebral hemorrhageaccording to the report.
His family said he was in good health before he was detained at his home in the West Bank. He died a week after his imprisonment..
Hussein Ali He had already served a sentence in a israeli prison after being sentenced for extremist activismsaid his family. But they added that he had no ties to militants when he was arrested last year.
After the arrest of Hussein Alihis 2-year-old daughter looked out the window and called her father, he said Hadeelhis wife. “He said, “Dad, where is dad?”, but over time he stopped asking,” he added, wiping away his tears.
Malnutrition contributed to at least one deathaccording to PHRI: caused a 17 year old young man died from starvation.
In September, the Supreme Court of Israel ordered that more and better food be served to the Palestinian prisoners. Human rights organizations report that the situation has improved slightly.
the army He assured that the detainees received three meals a day, approved by a dietitian.
He added that each detainee is examined by a doctor upon arrival and those who need it are subjected to periodic check-ups.
A former prisoner cannot forget what he witnesses
Sari Khuoriehan Israeli-Palestinian lawyer from Haifasaid that he was arrested at the beginning of the guerra after Israel accused him of inciting violence through his publications on social networks.
During the 10 days What happened in Megiddo prison, Khuorieh He reported having seen a man die after being beaten repeatedly.
Khuorieh stated that the 33-year-old father of fouroriginally from West Bankera beaten almost daily.
The man—and some of his relatives—had close ties to Hamasaccording to a Palestinian security official and a person who knew the family, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals.
The night before his death, the man screamed in pain for hours while in solitary confinement, he said Khuoriehwho held back tears when recounting what happenedeither. The man repeatedly asked the presence of a doctorbut no one came, he added.
A spokesperson for Israel Prison Service He did not want to comment on the case.
A report on the autopsy of manto which the AP had access, indicated that the cause of death was inconclusivebut which presented old and recent bruises, including broken ribs. The report advised that it could be assumed that lviolence contributed to his death.
When the guards They opened the cell man, they kicked and hit him before calling a doctor, who tried to revive him and then declared him dead, he said Khuoriehwho maintained that he saw what was happening through the small window in the door of his cell.
Once the man was declared dead, Khuorieh added that One of the officers laughed and said: There is “one less.” to attend to.