At least 94 Palestinian prisoners and detainees have died in Israeli custody in less than two years, a well-regarded Israeli human rights group says.
A new report by Physicians for Human Rights Israel (PHRI) alleges a practice of systematic killings and cover-ups.
The report covers the period between 7 October 2023, when Hamas launched its deadly attack on Israel, sparking the latest conflict in Gaza, and 31 August 2025. It said fewer than 30 Palestinians died in Israeli custody in the 10 years prior.
The Israel Prison Service (IPS) told the BBC it operates in accordance with the law and under the supervision of official oversight bodies.
It said it did not comment on figures or allegations from outside bodies.
All inmates are held according to legal procedures, and their rights including access to medical care, hygiene, and adequate living conditions are upheld by professionally trained staff, the IPS added.
Since 7 October 2023, thousands of Palestinians have been detained across Gaza and the West Bank, many without charge.
PHRI said it had exposed a deeply concerning pattern of systematic human rights violations committed against Palestinians detained by Israel and classified as security prisoners.
It said this was carried out as part of an official policy implemented by Israeli authorities since the war began.
Israeli authorities have stopped providing information about Palestinians in custody to the Red Cross and barred access to detention facilities.
PHRI said its report is based on official records and data cross-referenced with forensic reports, information from other human rights groups and efforts to locate specific people, as well as testimony from detainees, their families, and lawyers.
Its authors say 52 of those who died were being held in military prisons while 42 died in civilian jails run by the IPS.
PHRI claims the deaths were caused by physical violence, medical neglect, or both.
It singles out the policies of Itamar Ben-Gvir, Israel's right-wing national security minister and a key member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition government.
PHRI said that, under Ben-Gvir's control, Israel's incarceration facilities holding Palestinians had effectively been transformed into sites of torture and abuse.
It added daily physical violence was widespread, and that the deprivation of human rights and systematic torture had resulted in the deaths of dozens of Palestinians.
The highest number of deaths, 29, occurred at the Sde Teiman military prison in Southern Israel, near Gaza.
PHRI stated that five Israeli reservist soldiers have been charged with aggravated abuse and causing serious bodily harm after a Palestinian prisoner was allegedly beaten and stabbed in the rectum with a sharp object at Sde Teiman in July 2024.
The alleged assault has divided the nation, with some right-wing politicians criticizing a military police investigation.
PHRI accuses the Israeli authorities of trying to cover up and suppress investigations into Palestinian deaths and alleged abuses in custody.
The report also claims that detainees’ family members were often not notified of their relatives' deaths nor allowed access to post-mortems.
The Israeli Security Forces (IDF) stated it operates within the framework of applicable laws, asserting that detainments occur when there is a reasonable suspicion of involvement in terrorist activities, and each death is subject to an investigation by military police.
