A report released this week by Physicians for Human Rights–Israel (PHRI) reveals that nearly 100 Palestinian prisoners have died in Israeli custody since October 7, 2023. The organization attributes this surge in deaths to systematic violence and denial of medical care in Israeli prisons and detention centers.
The Associated Press corroborated PHRI’s findings, stating that its own investigation—based on interviews with over a dozen individuals—confirmed patterns of abuse, medical neglect, and prisoner deaths.
AP’s sources included a former prison guard and nurse from the notorious Sde Teiman facility, an Israeli physician who treated hospitalized detainees suffering from malnutrition, former prisoners and their families, lawyers, and human rights organizations.
One former guard, stationed at the military base converted by Minister Itamar Ben Gvir into a detention center, described routine beatings, shackling, and the use of batons.
He said the facility was nicknamed “the cemetery” due to the high number of deaths.
PHRI documented 98 deaths between October 7, 2023, and November 2, 2025:
- 27 deaths in 2023
- 50 deaths in 2024
- 21 deaths in 2025, with the most recent on November 2
The organization warns that the actual death toll is likely higher, citing Israel’s refusal to disclose information about hundreds of Palestinians detained during the war.
Prior to October 2023, fewer than 30 Palestinians had died in Israeli custody over the previous decade. Since then, the number of detainees has surged to over 11,000, held across Gaza and the West Bank.
PHRI confirmed deaths through interviews with released prisoners, prison medical staff, and forensic reports from doctors who conducted autopsies at the request of families.
Senior PHRI official Naji Abbas stated that the alarming rate of deaths “reveals a system devoid of ethical values and professional restraint.”
In response, the Israeli Prison Service claimed it “operates within the law” but declined to discuss the number of deaths.
The Israeli military acknowledged awareness of prisoner deaths, including those with pre-existing injuries or illnesses, but dismissed PHRI’s findings as “exaggerated,” stating that investigations into alleged mistreatment are ongoing.
One former guard described a chilling scene: a prisoner lying motionless in the yard was ignored by staff—he was dead. “It was business as usual,” the guard said. He also reported that detainees were routinely shackled and beaten for speaking or moving, and many chose to soil themselves rather than request to use the bathroom.
A nurse who worked at Sde Teiman confirmed that shackles caused severe injuries, including limb amputations. She left her position in early 2024 due to the abusive treatment of prisoners.
PHRI reported that 29 of the 98 deaths occurred at Sde Teiman, and AP cited autopsy reports showing patterns of physical trauma and medical neglect.
In one case, 45-year-old Mohammed Hussein Ali died at the Jalameh detention center a week after abduction, showing signs of possible brain hemorrhage and excessive restraint. His family said he was healthy prior to arrest.
PHRI also documented the death of a 17-year-old detainee from starvation, linking it to deliberate malnutrition.
In another testimony, Palestinian-Israeli lawyer Sari Hurriya, briefly imprisoned in Megiddo, described witnessing a fellow detainee die after repeated beatings.
Hurriya, who was abducted and imprisoned for alleged incitement on social media, said the man screamed in pain for hours in solitary confinement, begging for medical help that never arrived.
AP noted that the deceased was reportedly affiliated with Hamas, but the autopsy did not conclusively determine the cause of death. It did, however, reveal multiple rib fractures and signs of both old and recent injuries, suggesting that violence may have contributed to his death.
