GENEVA
UN Special Rapporteur on Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment Alice Jill Edwards said many Palestinians have died while in Israeli custody and called for an acceleration of investigations into these deaths.
Attending the 58th UN Human Rights Council session in Geneva, the UN rapporteur told Anadolu that the recent ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement in Gaza was a positive step. However, she criticized the treatment of detainees following the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attacks.
Edwards said many Palestinian prisoners released under the exchange agreement had been arbitrarily detained and held in extremely harsh conditions.
She highlighted that some of the released prisoners appeared weak and in poor health, emphasizing the need for independent and impartial investigations into allegations of torture.
"The last I heard, there were 10,500 detainees prior to the exchanges," Edwards said, adding: "Of course, exchanges are happening, and others are being released as investigations close or when there are no good grounds for holding people."
While Israel has launched investigations into the mistreatment of Palestinian detainees, Edwards said the desired outcome—ensuring that detainees are treated with dignity—has yet to be achieved.
"There have also been a number of deaths in Israeli custody which are undergoing investigation, I would like to see those procedures expedited," she said.
Edwards highlighted the need for genuine impartiality and independence to address and prevent these acts of torture, adding that these allegations have not been fully subjected to international oversight.
"I would continue to say, the access of the International Committee of the Red Cross both to the hostages and to Palestinian detainees so that they can make their own assessments and hold the government accountable," she said.
'What we really want to see is peace in this region'
Edwards expressed hope that the ceasefire would continue and that Israel would allow humanitarian aid access, calling it a fundamental human right.
"What we really want to see is peace in this region," Edwards said. She expressed a desire for both Palestinians and Israelis to be able to live on their land and shape their own futures.
She also called for an end to torture and mistreatment worldwide, adding: "But in particular in this region, torture is a hindrance to peace."
Warning that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has reached a highly dangerous stage, Edwards urged negotiators to act swiftly and in good faith to conclude peace talks, facilitating reconciliation between Palestinians and Israelis and ultimately ending the conflict and occupation in the region.