Israeli NGO says 'the killing of Palestinians in custody has become a normalized practice'

Staff at Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis, Gaza, unload the bodies of Palestinian prisoners returned by Israel during a hostage exchange on October 31, 2025. AFP

The report, which is well-documented, precise and thoroughly argued, is unusually severe in its criticism of Israeli authorities, who are accused of "systematic violations of human rights" in detention centers since the war in Gaza began. At least 98 Palestinians of all ages died in detention in Israel since October 7, 2023, according to findings released on Monday, November 17, by the non-governmental organization Physicians for Human Rights - Israel (PHRI). The authors of the report consider this a minimum estimate, given the number of missing Palestinians. "To this day, the fate and whereabouts of hundreds of Palestinians from Gaza who were taken by the Israeli military between October 2023 and April 2024 remain unknown," notes the Israeli NGO, which has brought together healthcare professionals involved in human rights advocacy since 1988. "The findings also substantiate grave concerns that the actual number of Palestinians who have died in Israeli custody is significantly higher, particularly among those detained from Gaza," the report's authors warn.