Palestinian Rights Groups Accuse Israel of Enforced Disappearances

The Palestinian Centre for Missing Persons estimates that between 2,500 and 3,000 people have been subjected to enforced disappearance in the Gaza Strip during the ongoing war. A study of 317 cases identified patterns of disappearances occurring during military raids, neighborhood sieges, and at military checkpoints, with the highest concentrations of cases in Gaza City and northern Gaza. These figures are distinct from an estimated 4,000 to 5,000 people believed to be missing under rubble. The Palestinian Justice Ministry previously reported that over 11,200 Palestinians have been reported missing or forcibly disappeared since October 2023.

On August 30, a coalition of rights groups including the Commission of Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs, the Palestinian Prisoner Society, and Addameer Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association accused Israel of systematically concealing the whereabouts of thousands of Gaza detainees. The groups allege that Israeli authorities withhold names, detention locations, and health information while blocking access for lawyers, families, and the International Committee of the Red Cross.

The rights groups reported that at least 53 known Gaza detainees have died in custody since October 2023, alleging torture and medical abuse. They specifically pointed to the influence of National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who has pushed for harsher conditions for prisoners. The organizations are calling for the United Nations to launch independent international investigations into these disappearances and deaths.