UN report accuses Israel of abusing Palestinian prisoners

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A confidential UN report has accused Israel of widespread abuse of Gazans it has detained during the war with Hamas, according to a copy seen by the Financial Times.

The report by the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, said that Palestinians released from Israeli detention reported being subjected to abuses ranging from physical assaults and dog attacks to sleep deprivation and sexual violence.

“The beatings included blunt force trauma to the head, shoulders, kidneys, neck, back and legs with metal bars and the butts of guns and boots, in some cases resulting in broken ribs, separated shoulders and lasting injuries,” said the 11-page report.

“Multiple individuals released from detention reported deaths of detainees in the military barracks, including injured and sick detainees who were denied medication and medical treatment.”

Detainees also recounted being stripped down to their underwear or, in some cases, until they were completely naked, and some said that they had been held in the cold without access to toilets, water or food for more than 24 hours.

“According to individuals released from detention, ill-treatment was used in attempts to extract information or confessions, to intimidate and humiliate, and to punish,” said the UNRWA document, which was first reported by the New York Times.

The Israel Defense Forces said in a statement that it had acted in compliance with Israeli and international law and “denies general and unsubstantiated claims regarding abuse of detainees, including claims about sexual abuse in IDF’s detention facilities”. It also denied the use of sleep deprivation.

“The mistreatment of detainees during their time in detention or whilst under interrogation violates IDF values and contravenes IDF orders and is therefore absolutely prohibited,” it said.

“These claims are another cynical attempt…