Nearly 100 Palestinians Reported Dead in Israeli Custody Since Gaza War Began, Rights Group and AP Find

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — A report by Physicians for Human Rights‑Israel (PHRI), corroborated by reporting from The Associated Press, documents a sharp rise in Palestinian deaths in Israeli detention since the Gaza war began on Oct. 7, 2023. PHRI recorded 98 deaths from Oct. 7, 2023, through Nov. 2, 2025, and warned the true toll may be higher because authorities have not provided information on hundreds of detainees.

What the investigation found

PHRI and AP reporting identified a pattern of alleged physical abuse, prolonged restraints and inadequate medical care in prisons and military detention facilities. Both organizations based their findings on interviews with former prison staff, medical personnel, former detainees and relatives; analysis of available data; and reviews of autopsy and medical reports obtained by families.

Numbers and trends

PHRI documented 98 deaths in custody during the reporting period: 27 in 2023, 50 in 2024 and 21 through Nov. 2, 2025. By comparison, fewer than 30 Palestinians died in Israeli custody in the decade before the war. The detainee population more than doubled after the start of the conflict, reaching roughly 11,000, mainly from Gaza and the West Bank, while fatalities rose even faster than the prison population.

Firsthand testimony and facility reports

AP interviewed more than a dozen sources, including a former guard and a former nurse at the Sde Teiman military prison, who spoke anonymously out of fear of reprisal. The former guard said detainees were routinely shackled, beaten with batons and kicked; the facility was sometimes referred to as a “graveyard” because of the frequency of deaths. The former nurse described deep wounds caused by chain restraints, including cases that reportedly led to amputations.

“It was sort of business as usual with the dead guy,” a former guard told AP, describing one morning when a motionless prisoner lay unattended in the yard.

PHRI recorded 29 deaths at Sde Teiman since the war began. The guard also said commanders sometimes instructed staff to reduce deaths — a directive he described as coming from officers who themselves participated in beatings.

Medical neglect and autopsy findings

Pinpointing exact causes of death is often challenging. In cases where families won permission for independent physicians to attend autopsies, several reports documented signs of physical assault and medical neglect. AP reviewed eight such autopsy reports that indicated mistreatment and insufficient medical care.

One autopsy described multiple signs of assault and probable brain bleeding in 45‑year‑old Mohammad Husein Ali, who died in Kishon detention center within a week of his arrest in the West Bank. The report also noted possible excessive restraints. His family said he had been healthy before detention.

Official response and accountability

Israel’s Prison Service said it operates in accordance with the law and referred questions about the death toll to the Israel Defense Forces. The military acknowledged that some detainees have died, including people with preexisting illnesses or combat‑related injuries, and said allegations of abuse or inadequate conditions are evaluated. It added that those who violate codes of conduct face disciplinary action and can be subject to criminal investigations.

The army noted that prolonged handcuffing is permitted only in exceptional cases with significant security considerations and that detainees’ medical conditions are taken into account. It said only a small number of detainees from Gaza are currently restrained in this manner. Earlier this year, an Israeli soldier was convicted of abusing Palestinians at Sde Teiman and sentenced to seven months in prison; the military cited the conviction as evidence of accountability.

Human rights lawyers and rights groups counter that serious, transparent investigations are rare and that limited accountability fosters further abuses. PHRI and other organizations are calling for full disclosure of detention records, independent medical examinations, and impartial probes into deaths in custody.

What remains uncertain

PHRI cautions that its documented figure is likely an undercount because Israeli authorities have not released data on hundreds of detainees arrested during the war. Many of the allegations are based on testimony, autopsy reports obtained by families and a partial set of official records; advocates say greater transparency is required to determine the full scope and causes of deaths in custody.

Key sources: Physicians for Human Rights‑Israel report; reporting and interviews conducted by The Associated Press, including testimonies from former prison staff, medical personnel, former detainees, lawyers and family members.