UN Special Rapporteur Accuses Israel of Systematic Torture Against Palestinians

GENEVA/NEW YORK — Francesca Albanese, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories, has levelled grave accusations against Israel, alleging the systematic use of torture and sexual violence against Palestinian detainees and civilians.
Albanese presented her report titled “Torture and Genocide” to the 61st session of the UN Human Rights Council, arguing that since October 2023, Israel has deployed torture on a scale that reflects a deliberate and coordinated state policy — one designed to collectively punish and destroy Palestinian resistance and dignity.
The report singles out Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, alleging he ordered that Palestinian prisoners be held in darkened cells and subjected to continuous broadcasts of the Israeli national anthem as a form of psychological torment.
Albanese further argued that the abuse extends well beyond prison walls. Mass displacement, siege conditions, and systematic obstruction of humanitarian aid, she said, represent additional instruments of what she described as a broader campaign of coercion and suffering against the Palestinian population. The report concludes that systematic torture may constitute evidence of genocidal intent under the Genocide Convention.
The UN report follows a major investigative piece published by The New York Times on May 11, which included accounts alleging rape, sexual abuse of minors, and physical torture by Israeli soldiers and prison guards. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu swiftly rejected the allegations, announcing on Thursday that Israel would pursue legal action against The New York Times over the report.