Its special rapporteur UN about torture said today that he is investigating complaints for torture and ill-treatment Palestinians prisoners in Israel and has begun talks to visit the country.

Speaking to Reuters on the sidelines of the Human Rights Council meeting in Geneva, Dr Alice Jill Edwards said she had recently received complaints of torture and mistreatment Palestinians held in the occupied West Bank or as a result of the war in Gaza, where Israel is fighting the Palestinian organization Hamas.

“I am currently looking into it and conducting an evidence-finding investigation. I call on (…) Hamas, the State of Palestine, Israel, to put down the instruments of torture, to really focus on peace and the prospect of coexistence as neighbors in the future,” he stressed.

There is currently no comment from the Israeli diplomatic mission in Geneva.

The UN human rights office says it has received numerous reports of mass detention, ill-treatment and enforced disappearance of Palestinians in northern Gaza by the Israeli military and has documented the arrests of thousands in the West Bank. The Israeli military says its operation in Gaza is aimed at “eliminating Hamas’ military capabilities” and rescuing hostages still being held by the Palestinian group after its October 7 attack on Israel.

Edwards also said she has brought to the attention of the Palestinian authorities, through the Permanent Palestinian Mission in Geneva, allegations of mass killings, mutilations of hostages and sexual violence against them. But he added that he had received a “disappointing response” that “showed no empathy for those individuals who suffered horrific brutality on October 7”.

The Palestinian Mission did not respond to a request for comment.