The United Nations committee on torture says Israel is running a "de facto state policy of organised and widespread torture" against Palestinians. The committee, which reviews countries signed to the torture convention, heard from both Israeli and Palestinian rights groups about harsh conditions in Israeli detention centers. Since the Hamas attacks on October 7, 2023, thousands of Palestinians have been held. Israeli laws allow long detention without lawyers or family contact, leading the UN to call many cases "enforced disappearance." The committee criticized the use of Unlawful Combatants laws to detain entire groups including children, pregnant women, and elders. The report details grim treatment: prisoners often suffer food and water deprivation, beatings, dog attacks, electrocution, waterboarding, sexual abuse, being shackled for long times, denied toilets, and forced to wear diapers. The UN says these acts qualify as war crimes and crimes against humanity. They also said evidence points to genocide under international law. Israel repeatedly denies genocide accusations. During the hearings, Israeli ambassador Daniel Meron called torture claims "disinformation" and defended Israel’s actions as upholding moral values against terrorism. Committee member Peter Vedel Kessing said members were "deeply appalled" and called for independent investigations and accountability for senior officials. They warned that security concerns cannot justify torture, stressing the absolute ban on torture under international law. Israel's domestic law claims the torture convention applies only within its borders, not Gaza or the West Bank, a view many international experts reject. The report arrives amid growing global criticism of Israel's conduct. The UN cited a recent killing in the West Bank as a possible "summary execution." Meanwhile, UN agencies say life stays harsh in Gaza despite ceasefires, with thousands facing winter in tents and limited aid amid ongoing Israeli air strikes targeting Hamas.