ANKARA 

The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on Friday called for an urgent investigation into Israeli abuse of Palestinian prisoners. 

This call came in response to harrowing testimonies from the released Palestinians.

In a statement, the OIC expressed “deep concern regarding the increased violent acts and severe violations committed by the Israeli occupation against numerous Palestinian prisoners.”

“These violations have been well-documented by various legal entities and include acts such as execution, torture, starvation, rape, isolation, and forced disappearance,” it said.

The organization highlighted that these violations have resulted in the deaths of 18 Gazan prisoners in Israeli occupation prisons since Oct. 7, 2023.

The OIC also denounced the “ongoing indiscriminate detention drives carried out by the Israeli occupying authorities.”

“These actions have resulted in a significant increase in the number of Palestinian detainees, with the current count exceeding 9,700 individuals. Among them are 80 female detainees, 52 journalists, and over 250 children, in addition to more than 3,380 individuals held in administrative detention without formal charges or trial,” it said, noting that “close to 600 detainees are serving life sentences.”

The OIC called for an immediate international inquiry into the “cruel conditions and continuous Israeli infringements against Palestinian detainees in Israeli occupation prisons.”

Since launching its ground offensive on Gaza on Oct. 27, Israel has detained thousands of Palestinians, including women, children, and emergency workers, releasing only a few while the fate of many remains unknown.

Human rights organizations and Israeli media have reported extensive torture and medical neglect of Palestinian detainees from Gaza in Israeli detention facilities.

* Writing by Ikram Kouachi