A damning new report has revealed that at least 98 Palestinians have died in Israeli custody over the past two years, marking the highest death toll ever recorded and indicating what investigators describe as a systematic policy of killing.
Unprecedented Death Toll in Detention
The comprehensive investigation by Physicians for Human Rights – Israel (PHRI), released on Monday 17th November 2025, documents what the organisation calls an unprecedented number of fatalities since the Gaza conflict began in October 2023. The findings are based on Freedom of Information requests, autopsy reports, medical files, and testimonies from former detainees and medical staff.
Oneg Ben Dror from PHRI stated that the clear evidence of deaths caused by torture and medical neglect points to a deliberate Israeli policy of killing Palestinians while in detention. The report suggests the actual death count may be even higher due to what it describes as the Israeli army's policy of enforced disappearance since the war began.
Pattern of Brutal Treatment and Neglect
The investigation uncovered a consistent pattern of brutal violence and systematic neglect by prison guards. Autopsy reports show disturbing evidence including:
- Head injuries and internal bleeding
- Fractured ribs and ruptured organs
- Severe malnutrition and starvation
- Denial of life-saving medication
- Failure to treat serious diseases like cancer
According to the report, not a single soldier, prison guard or IPS doctor has been prosecuted, even in cases with clear evidence of violence or medical neglect. PHRI argues that this ongoing failure of Israeli law enforcement turns Israeli law into a fig leaf and a tool for concealment.
Location Breakdown and Individual Cases
The report provides detailed breakdown of where these deaths occurred. Since October 2023, at least 46 prisoners held by the Israeli Prison Service have died in facilities including Ketziot, Megiddo, Ofer, Nitzan, Nafha/Ramon, and Eshel prisons, as well as IPS medical centres and Shin Bet interrogation centres.
Another 52 Palestinians, all from Gaza, died under military custody. The report highlights that 29 deaths occurred in the notorious Sde Teiman military camp near the Gaza perimeter, where previous investigations have documented torture and sexual violence.
Among the individual cases detailed is that of 21-year-old Mohammed al-Sabar from the occupied West Bank, who died in Ofer prison in February 2024. Medical evidence indicates his intestines had nearly exploded after being denied treatment and medication for Hirschsprung's disease, a childhood condition he had lived with since birth.
Families Kept in the Dark
The report also reveals that families often go weeks or even months without being informed of their relatives' deaths, frequently learning about them only through media reports. The investigation found that autopsies were frequently delayed or conducted without the presence of a family-appointed physician.
In many cases, no official forensic examination was carried out at all, including during a five-month period between October 2023 and March 2024 when at least 35 detainees died.
Testimonies accompanying the report document inmates apparently starving to death, diabetic patients being denied access to insulin, and multiple cases of internal injuries, broken ribs and ruptured organs.
Official Responses and International Context
Both the Israeli Prison Service and military have repeatedly denied committing any violations or abusing detainees in multiple statements over the last two years. Last month, the IPS stated it operates in accordance with the law under official oversight bodies and claimed all inmates are held according to legal procedures with access to medical care.
The military has conceded it is investigating alleged abuses against detainees by its soldiers, adding that any mistreatment is strictly prohibited and constitutes a violation of Israeli and international law.
The report emerges amid ongoing diplomatic tensions, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowing to oppose any attempt to establish a Palestinian state. The findings underscore what PHRI describes as the urgent need for an independent international investigation to end this policy and ensure accountability for those responsible.
