Israeli army tortures a Palestinian toddler in Gaza in front of his father, according to Mondoweiss' article published on March 26, 2026
A new report published by Quds News Network, based on data from the Harvard Dataverse, reveals that approximately 377,000 people from Gaza’s pre‑genocide population of 2.227 million have gone missing since October 2023—with an estimated half of them believed to be children.
The report was authored by Israeli professor Yaakov Garb of Ben‑Gurion University, who used data‑driven analysis and spatial mapping to examine how Israeli attacks on civilians and Israel’s aid blockade have caused a dramatic decline in Gaza’s population.
Professor Garb argues that the actual number of people killed may be far higher than the official death toll, which stood at over 74,000 as of May 2026.
Maps in the report, based on Israeli military estimates, indicate that the remaining population in Gaza City is around one million, with 500,000 in the al‑Mawasi “safe zone” and 350,000 in central Gaza—totaling approximately 1.85 million.
Before the ongoing assault, Gaza’s population was estimated at 2.227 million. The discrepancy points to at least 377,000 people unaccounted for.
While some may be displaced or missing, the scale of the gap has led analysts to conclude that a significant number are likely dead, suggesting the real death toll could be many times higher.
The Palestinian Information Center reported last May that 8,000 bodies remain trapped under rubble, where less than 1% of debris has been cleared following Israel’s two‑year war, according to the Hebrew newspaper Haaretz.
The UN Human Rights Office in Geneva published a report on arbitrary, prolonged, and incommunicado detention by Israeli authorities, affecting thousands of Palestinians since last October. The report also documents allegations of torture and other forms of cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment, including sexual abuse of both women and men.
Since October 7, thousands of Palestinians—including medical staff, patients, displaced residents, and captured fighters—have been taken from Gaza to Israel, usually shackled and blindfolded. Thousands more have been detained in the West Bank and inside Israel. They have generally been held in secret, without being given a reason for their detention, access to a lawyer, or effective judicial review, the report states.
The staggering number of men, women, children, doctors, journalists, and human rights defenders detained since October 7—most without charge or trial and held in deplorable conditions—along with reports of ill‑treatment, torture, and violations of due‑process guarantees, raises serious concerns about the arbitrariness and fundamentally punitive nature of these arrests, said UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk.
“The testimonies gathered by the UN Human Rights Office in Geneva and other entities indicate a range of appalling acts, such as waterboarding and the release of dogs on detainees who are trained to rape, among other acts, in flagrant violation of international human rights law and international humanitarian law,” Türk said.
Israeli authorities said they were investigating several soldiers for allegedly abusing a Palestinian prisoner earlier this month at the Sde Teiman detention center in the Negev desert.
In Gaza, mostly men and adolescent boys have been detained. Many were taken into custody while sheltering in schools, hospitals, and residential buildings, or at checkpoints during displacement from north to south, the report finds. The Times of Israel, often seen as reflecting the government’s perspective, reported that the IDF denied the abuse allegations.
The Israeli military does not typically explain publicly why Palestinians in Gaza are taken into custody, though in some cases it has alleged affiliation with armed groups.
Israel also does not provide information regarding the fate or whereabouts of many detainees, and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has been denied access to the facilities where they are held. Conditions in military‑run detention centers appear even worse, the report states, adding that children were among those held—sometimes alongside adults.
Detainees reported being held in cage‑like facilities, stripped naked for prolonged periods, and forced to wear only diapers. Testimonies describe prolonged blindfolding, deprivation of food, sleep, and water, electric shocks, and cigarette burns. Some said dogs were released on them; others described waterboarding or being suspended from the ceiling with their hands tied. Both women and men reported sexual and gender‑based violence.
International humanitarian law protects all detainees, requiring humane treatment and protection against all acts of violence or threats thereof, the UN report states. International law strictly prohibits torture or other ill‑treatment, including rape and sexual violence. Secret, prolonged incommunicado detention may itself amount to torture.
The High Commissioner reiterated his call for the immediate release of all hostages still held in Gaza. He also called for the release of all Palestinians arbitrarily detained by Israel, and for prompt, thorough, independent, impartial, and transparent investigations into all incidents involving serious violations of international law—ensuring accountability and reparations for victims and their families.
He added that Israeli restrictions on life‑saving humanitarian aid are hindering relief efforts and worsening the humanitarian crisis in the Strip, calling for safe, rapid, and unimpeded access to aid for all in need.
Regarding the situation in the West Bank, Türk noted an accelerating escalation of Israeli violations—committed by both occupation forces and settlers—stating that these practices contribute to the destruction of Palestinian communities and undermine prospects for stability and peace.
Meanwhile, UN Human Rights Office spokesperson Marta Hurtado said at a Geneva press briefing: “We are very worried. We are concerned that UN officials and judicial officials are increasingly subjected to personal attacks, threats, and misinformation that distract from the serious human rights issues.”
Do Not Forget Gaza.
Captions for additional photos:
#1. Around 8,000 Palestinian bodies are believed to remain trapped beneath the rubble of buildings in the Gaza Strip, where less than 1% percent of
debris has been cleared following Israel’s two‑year genocidal war, according to a recent Israeli news report. Photo: The Palestinian Information Center
#2. New data from Israeli online magazine +972 Magazine reveals 98 Palestinian deaths in Israeli custody since October 7. Post‑mortems and testimonies from former detainees suggest many died from torture, medical neglect, and food deprivation. According to a leaked Israeli intelligence database, dozens of the deceased were civilians.
Mahmoud El‑Yousseph is a Palestinian freelance writer and retired U.S. Air Force veteran. He writes on U.S. foreign policy, Middle East affairs, and justice. Email: elyousseph6@yahoo.com
