This article contains descriptions of sexual abuse and violence which some readers may find distressing.
Two Palestinian men have told the BBC they personally experienced the kind of beatings and sexual abuse highlighted in recent reports into the treatment of prisoners in Israeli detention.
The United Nations Committee against Torture said last month that it was deeply concerned about reports indicating a de facto state policy of organised and widespread torture and ill treatment of Palestinian detainees in Israeli jails. It said the allegations had gravely intensified after the Hamas-led attacks on Israel on 7 October 2023.
Other reports by Israeli and Palestinian rights groups have detailed what they say is systematic abuse.
Israel has denied all the allegations, but rights groups say the fury in the country over the 7 October attacks and the treatment of Israeli hostages in Gaza has created a culture of impunity within the prison services, especially towards detainees who have expressed support for Hamas and its attacks.
Last year, leaked CCTV footage from inside an Israeli military prison showed a Palestinian man from Gaza allegedly being sexually abused by prison guards. That led to a resignation and recriminations at the top of Israel's military and political establishment.
Sami al-Saei, 46, now works in a furniture shop, but he used to be a freelance journalist in the town of Tulkarm, in the north of the occupied West Bank. He alleges that he was sexually abused by guards while being detained without charge for 16 months under administrative detention.
His allegations describe a harrowing experience of sexual assault, torture, and daily beatings during his incarceration in Megiddo prison.
Another individual, referred to as Ahmed, also shared his distressing experiences while in detention, including allegations of sexual humiliation involving a prison dog.
The reports from both men echo a larger narrative of rising allegations of abuse against Palestinian detainees, with UN bodies calling for urgent investigations into the treatment of prisoners amid the ongoing conflict.
Despite the serious nature of these allegations, Israeli authorities maintain that all operations within the prison system adhere to legal standards, denying knowledge of the specific incidents described by the detainees involved.
