UN official says treatment of Palestinians detained by Israel may amount to torture

Ajith Sunghay, the head of the UN Human Rights Office in occupied Palestine, has just returned from a trip to Rafah in the south of Gaza.

While there, Sunghay interviewed several Palestinians who were released from Israeli detention after being captured by the Israeli army during its military campaign.

"They described being beaten, humiliated, subjected to ill-treatment, and to what may amount to torture," he said.

"They reported being blindfolded for long periods – some of them for several consecutive days."

Sunghay added that some men were released without adequate clothing for the winter weather and were also released in diapers.