Thousands of Palestinians have been detained by Israel in violation of international human rights and humanitarian law, the United Nations said on Wednesday.

In a report, the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights highlights arbitrary, prolonged, and, in some cases, secret detention of Palestinians since the October 7 Hamas terror attacks on southern Israel.

The report also includes allegations of torture and other degrading treatment, including sexual abuse of both women and men.

"The testimonies gathered by my office and other entities indicate a range of appalling acts, such as waterboarding and the release of dogs on detainees, amongst other acts, in flagrant violation of international human rights law and international humanitarian law," Volker Türk, the UN's high commissioner for human rights, said.

At least 53 detainees from Gaza and the West Bank have died in Israeli detention since October 7.

Thousands held in Gaza, Israel and occupied West Bank

The report is based on interviews with former detainees and other sources, including official Israeli government and Palestinian Authority information.

In Gaza, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have detained thousands of men and boys, as well as some women and girls, since it launched its military operation there in the wake of the October 7 attacks. The detains also included medical staff, patients and those fleeing the conflict, as well as captured fighters.

At the same time, the IDF started "daily mass, apparently arbitrary, arrests of Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem," according to the report.

Türk, expressed serious concerns about the large number of people, including children, doctors, journalists and human rights defenders, who have been detained.

Beyond those detained in military-run detention facilities, Israel's prison service held more than 9,400 "security detainees" as of the end of June.

Violations of international law

Some detainees said they were held in cage-like facilities, stripped naked for prolonged periods, wearing only diapers and were denied access to toilet facilities.

Their testimonies described enduring prolonged periods of blindfolding, deprivation of food, sleep and water, as well as being subjected to electric shocks and burned with cigarettes.

Some detainees said dogs were released on them, and others said they were subjected to waterboarding, or that their hands were tied, and they were suspended from the ceiling. 

Some women and men also spoke of sexual and gender-based violence.

Hamas and the Palestinian Authority also mentioned

The report also cited Hamas and other militant groups that have prevented the International Committee of the Red Cross from visiting the Israeli hostages still being held in Gaza.

It also said the Palestinian Authority continued to carry out arbitrary detention and torture or other ill-treatment in the West Bank, mainly to suppress criticism and political opposition.

The report's findings could be used by International Criminal Court prosecutors investigating crimes connected to the October 7 attacks and their aftermath, including Israel's ongoing military campaign in Gaza.

The prosecutors are seeking arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on charges of war crimes.

They also issued arrest warrants for Hamas leaders, including Ismail Haniyeh who was killed by an airstrike in Iran on Wednesday morning.

Authors of the report said its content was shared with the Israeli government.

There was no immediate comment from Israel.

lo/ab (AP, AFP)