Testimony Reveals Palestinian Detainee Musab Haniyah Died from Repeated Rape and Torture in Israeli Custody
Gaza (Quds News Network)- A former detainee has revealed horrific details about the torture and repeated rape that led to the death of Musab Haniyah, a 35-year-old detainee from Gaza, in an Israeli prison. His testimony sheds light on the brutal treatment Palestinian detainees endure.
The ex-detainee, who spoke to Al Jazeera, described how Israeli interrogators repeatedly raped Haniyah and inserted a rod into his body, forcing it through his abdomen. “It came out of his stomach,” the witness said. He added that many detainees have been killed in this manner. “They left him bleeding without medical care. Then they claimed he died of cancer,” he stated.
He further described the brutal conditions in Israeli detention. “They tie us up for days, sometimes months. Some detainees remained in restraints for over 400 days,” he said. “They use dogs to attack us. Big, vicious dogs. Every day, they send them after us.”
The witness also recounted how Haniyah’s health deteriorated rapidly due to torture. “He was in perfect health when they took him. He weighed around 150 kilograms. When he died, he was only 40 kilograms,” he said. “They tortured him and then said he had cancer. Then they put him in a black plastic bag and took him away.”
Haniyah was abducted on March 3, 2024, from Hamad City in Gaza. His family stated that he had no prior health issues before his detention. He was married and had a nine-year-old son. On January 5, 2025, Israeli authorities informed Palestinian officials of his death, which resulted from the severe sexual violence and torture he endured.
Rights groups stated that Israel conceals details about detainees who die in custody. They say that Israeli authorities delay or manipulate official reports and refuse to release bodies. In many cases, only military statements confirm deaths, with no further evidence provided.
Since the start of the genocide in Gaza, at least 59 Palestinian detainees have been killed in Israeli prisons. Among them, 38 were from Gaza. This marks the deadliest period for Palestinian detainees since 1967. The total number of Palestinian detainees confirmed killed in Israeli custody since 1967 has now reached 296. Rights groups warn that many more remain forcibly disappeared.
Reports from former detainees describe extreme torture, medical neglect, and abuse inside Israeli jails. Testimonies reveal brutal methods, including severe beatings, starvation, and sexual violence. Survivors say detainees suffer without medical care, leading to slow and painful deaths.
The Prisoners’ Affairs Commission and the Prisoners’ Club condemned Haniyah’s death as another crime in Israel’s escalating assault on detainees. They stated that Israeli authorities are using imprisonment as a tool of execution through systematic torture and deprivation.
