Complaints of ill-treatment and torture of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons are being investigated by the special rapporteur of UN on torture, Alice Jill Edwards, who said she was making contacts to visit the country.
Speaking on the sidelines of the Human Rights Council meeting in Geneva, Dr Alice Jill Edwards said she had received complaints of torture of Palestinians held by Israeli authorities.
“I am currently investigating this and conducting an investigation to find evidence. I call on Hamas, the State of Palestine, Israel, to put down the tools of torture, to really focus on peace and the prospect of coexistence as neighbors in the future,” she said in statements broadcast by international media.
According to the UN human rights office, there are many reports of mass detention, ill-treatment, and even kidnapping-disappearance of Palestinians in northern Gaza by the Israeli army, while thousands of arrests have been made in the West Bank.
The Israeli military says its operation in Gaza is aimed at “eliminating Hamas’ military capabilities” and rescuing hostages still being held by the Palestinian group after its October 7 attack on Israel.
Edwards also said she has brought to the attention of the Palestinian Authority allegations of what Israel accuses Hamas of doing on October 7, including rape, murder and mutilation of hostages. The response he received was, as he pointed out, “disappointing” and “showed no empathy towards those who suffered horrific atrocities on 7 October”.
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