Hostages Held in Gaza Subjected to Torture, Israeli Report Says
Hostages held in Gaza were subjected to torture, including sexual and psychological abuse, starvation, burns, and medical neglect, according to a new report by the Israeli Health Ministry. The report is based on interviews with medical and welfare teams that treated more than 100 Israeli and foreign hostages, most of whom were released in late November 2023, in a brief truce between Israel and Hamas.
The report reveals that women were subjected to sexual assault, including at gunpoint, while men were beaten, starved, branded, and held bound in isolation, with some denied treatment for injuries and medical conditions. The report also describes the physical and emotional trauma inflicted on over 30 children and teenagers, including some who were found to have been bound, beaten, or branded with a heated object.
The report has been submitted to the United Nations and will be addressed to the U.N. Special Rapporteur on Torture. Hamas has repeatedly denied allegations of abuse, but the report provides evidence of the mistreatment of 100 hostages, including 30 children and teenagers.
The humanitarian crisis in Gaza is ongoing, with around half of the 251 hostages still held in Gaza believed to be alive. The Israeli war against Hamas, which began in October 2023, has resulted in the deaths of over 45,000 Palestinians, most of whom were civilians, and the displacement of nearly all of Gaza’s population.