PHRI report: At least 94 Palestinians died in Israeli custody amid allegations of systemic torture and medical neglect

A major new report by Physicians for Human Rights–Israel (PHRI) documents what the organisation says is a systematic pattern of torture, physical assault, deliberate medical neglect and severe malnutrition affecting Palestinians held in Israeli detention facilities. PHRI says it has verified at least 94 deaths in custody; the authors acknowledge the true number may be higher.

Key findings

PHRI’s investigation combines post-mortem reports, medical records, eyewitness testimony and case files to build a picture of widespread abuse. The documented causes of death include blunt-force trauma, untreated medical conditions, prolonged malnutrition and other forms of physical and psychological mistreatment.

Illustrative cases

Abd al‑Rahman Mar’i, 33: Returned to his family after dying in Megiddo prison with extensive bruising, contusions and multiple fractures, according to PHRI’s record.

Walid Khaled Abdullah Ahmad, 17: Arrested in September 2024, Walid was returned to his family with almost no visible muscle or fat remaining despite having been athletic before his detention. A post-mortem reportedly found evidence of severe and prolonged malnutrition and concluded he died months after his arrest.

Arafat Hamdan, 25: A type 1 diabetic from Beit Sira who died two days after entering military custody. Witnesses say he was beaten and denied life‑saving insulin.

Wider context

PHRI and other human-rights organisations note these cases are part of a broader pattern during the war on Gaza, with more than 18,500 Palestinians reported arrested since October 2023. Rights groups warn that an unknown number of people were subjected to enforced disappearance in the early months of the conflict, authorised in some cases under the Unlawful Combatants Law.

Reports from organisations including Human Rights Watch, B’Tselem and the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights have documented similar allegations of physical, psychological and sexual abuse in detention. PHRI and other investigators have also reported cases in which healthcare workers were threatened or tortured while in custody.

Accountability and oversight

PHRI says independent scrutiny has been limited. In late October, Israel’s Defence Ministry renewed a ban on inspections of its detention facilities by international agencies such as the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), restricting outside access and oversight. Rights advocates warn that without transparent, independent investigations and accountability, abuses are likely to continue.

“This isn’t about isolated abuses, but a broader pattern carried out with impunity,” said a Human Rights Watch representative commenting on the obstacles to independent oversight. “Without accountability, the violence will only deepen, and more deaths in detention will continue to emerge.”

What PHRI recommends

The report calls for immediate independent access to all detention facilities, thorough and impartial investigations of all deaths and allegations of torture, and medical and legal safeguards to protect detainees’ rights and health. PHRI also urges transparent public reporting of findings and accountability for individuals and institutions responsible for abuses.

PHRI’s documentation adds to an expanding body of evidence that civil society groups and investigators say demands urgent attention and action from international bodies, governments and legal authorities.