A group of U.N. experts have condemned Israel for torturing Palestinians held inside Israeli prisons. In a statement, the experts wrote, “Torture practices are irredeemably unlawful and constitute international crimes, yet form part of the modus operandi of Israel’s notorious detention and torture system.” The experts went on to write, “These practices are intended to punish Palestinians for resisting occupation and seek to destroy them individually and collectively.”

Meanwhile, the Israeli human rights group B’Tselem has published a major new report documenting how Israel has turned its jails into what B’Tselem calls “torture camps.” This is Sarit Michaeli, B’Tselem spokesperson.

Sarit Michaeli: “So, firstly, it’s important to tell the stories of the victims, of people who have been exposed to horrific abuse in Israel’s prison system. Additionally, this publication is meant to change the reality. Therefore, B’Tselem has called, has appealed to all nations and to all relevant institutions, including the International Criminal Court, to intervene, to end this reality and to hold Israeli policymakers accountable for what is going on, for the torture of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prison facilities.”

Many Palestinians who have survived torture in Israeli prisons have spoken out after their release. This is Moazaz Obaiyat, who was held for nine months in an Israeli prison.

Moazaz Obaiyat: “The jail was very, very tough, as you can see in my situation. The proof are in my photos that show me before and after the jail. And that is enough to answer the question. It is an unfair detention, and there is killing, and they torture us with metal sticks. We were subject to all kinds of torture.”