A new report by Physicians for Human Rights Israel (PHRI) alleges that at least 94 Palestinians have died in Israeli custody over the past two years—an "unprecedented" toll the group says represents only a fraction of the true number of deaths. The organisation warns that enforced disappearances, systemic medical neglect, and torture inside detention facilities have created conditions where every Palestinian detainee faces a severe and immediate threat to life.

The report, covering the period from October 7, 2023, through August 2025, documents 94 deaths across both Israel Prison Service (IPS) facilities and sites under military control. Since the report was finalised, PHRI says a further four Palestinians have died in custody in the past month alone, pushing the number "close to triple digits" and underscoring what it describes as an ongoing, lethal policy even after the Gaza ceasefire.

PHRI states that, taken together, the evidence "points to a deliberate Israeli policy of killing Palestinians in custody"—a claim likely to fuel international pressure on Israel to open its prisons and military detention centres to independent scrutiny.

'The Israeli government doesn't dispute the number of prison deaths but disputes the claim that detainees were dying due to illegal beatings and other actions by Israeli prison guards,' The Jerusalem Post reported Tuesday.

Deaths Across All Facilities

According to the PHRI report, 46 of the documented deaths occurred in IPS prisons, while 52 Palestinians—every one of them from the Gaza Strip—died in military custody. The distribution of deaths across every type of facility, PHRI argues, shows that these were not isolated incidents but part of a broader pattern that has unfolded consistently since October 2023.

"These policies persist even now, despite the ceasefire in Gaza," the group writes, adding that the crisis inside detention facilities has not eased with the reduction of active combat.

Evidence of Torture and Systemic Medical Neglect

PHRI's findings draw heavily on testimonies collected by attorneys who visited prisons, medical information obtained from detainees before their deaths, and post-mortem results released by families. Taken together, the evidence points to what the organisation describes as a systemic pattern of abuse.

Documented causes of death include:

• Severe physical trauma, such as head injuries, internal bleeding and broken ribs

• Extreme malnutrition, with some detainees reportedly losing drastic amounts of weight before dying

• Denial of life-saving medical care, including the withholding of stabilising treatments for chronic illnesses and injuries

• Conditions consistent with torture, as alleged by multiple testimonies

PHRI says the combination of untreated injuries, harsh conditions, and ongoing interrogations without medical oversight has contributed directly to the deaths of Palestinians detained since the outbreak of the war.

Enforced Disappearances and Concealment Alleged

One of the report's most serious allegations concerns what PHRI describes as the Israeli military's extensive use of enforced disappearances since October 2023. Families have reported being denied information about the whereabouts, condition, or legal status of their relatives in custody—sometimes for months at a time.

The report says this practice has enabled the concealment of deaths, impeded timely medical intervention, and prevented judicial oversight. It also claims Israel has obstructed attempts to investigate the circumstances of detainee deaths, with authorities allegedly refusing to release medical files, autopsy reports or surveillance footage.

"To date, no one implicated in these cases has been held accountable," the report notes, citing what it characterises as a pattern of institutional cover-ups and denial of responsibility.

Call for International Investigation

PHRI argues that the death toll, the alleged abuses, and the absence of accountability demand an independent inquiry, warning that without outside intervention the death rate is likely to climb.

"The record number of Palestinian deaths in Israeli detention, combined with evidence exposing the systematic nature of these killings, reinforces our warnings that every Palestinian in Israeli custody faces an imminent threat to their life and health," the organisation writes. It calls on international bodies to step in to "bring an end to these systematic killings, ensure accountability, and bring closure to victims' families."

The release of the report comes amid increasing scrutiny of Israel's wartime detention practices, which expanded dramatically after October 7, 2023. Human rights organisations, legal advocacy groups and several United Nations bodies have repeatedly called for unfettered access to prisons and military camps where Palestinians have been held, often without charge.

Israel has not yet issued a detailed public response to the PHRI report. In past statements, Israeli officials have denied allegations of systemic abuse and have argued that security detainees are treated in accordance with Israeli law and international obligations.

For PHRI, however, the numbers speak for themselves. With nearly 100 documented deaths—and strong indications of others still unreported—the group says the situation inside Israeli detention facilities represents one of the gravest human rights crises to emerge from the conflict.