On November 18, 2025, the United Nations Security Council passed a U.S.-backed resolution aimed at stabilizing the war-ravaged Gaza Strip, marking a pivotal moment in international efforts to address the spiraling crisis in the region. The resolution arrived as violence and controversy continued to engulf Israel and the Palestinian territories, with mounting concerns about the humanitarian cost and the political fallout from the ongoing conflict.
According to Somoy News, the Security Council's decision came amid unrelenting hostilities in Gaza, where Israeli military operations against Hamas have persisted since the deadly attacks of October 7, 2023. That day, Hamas-led militants launched an unprecedented assault into southern Israel, killing around 1,200 people and taking more than 250 hostages. Israel’s response has been unyielding, with Palestinian health officials now reporting over 69,000 deaths in Gaza as of November 2025—a staggering toll that has shocked the global community.
But the battlefield is not the only place where lives are being lost. In a report released on November 17, 2025, the Israeli human rights group Physicians for Human Rights–Israel documented 98 Palestinian deaths in Israeli detention facilities since the start of the conflict in October 2023. The organization’s findings, based on official documents, autopsy reports, and testimonies from medical staff and released detainees, paint a grim picture of systematic neglect and violence within the prison system.
The report, cited by Piri, details that among the deceased, 52 were detainees from Gaza. Notably, the tally excludes seven additional cases of Palestinians allegedly executed shortly after arrest. Autopsy evidence reviewed by the group revealed signs of physical violence in nearly half of the cases, including head injuries, internal bleeding, and rib fractures. The medical documentation also highlighted extreme malnutrition, denial of insulin to diabetic patients, untreated cancer, and life-threatening infections. These findings echo earlier reports of hunger, dehydration, and prolonged exposure to extreme temperatures in Israeli detention centers over the past two years.
Physicians for Human Rights–Israel alleges that Israeli authorities have systematically concealed both the causes of death and the actual number of fatalities. Oneg Ben Dror, a coordinator with the group, stated, "The unprecedented toll, together with extensive findings and evidence of deaths caused by torture and medical neglect, points to a deliberate Israeli policy of killing Palestinians in custody." As of publication, neither the Israel Prison Service nor the military had commented on these allegations.
This latest report comes at a time when the Israeli government faces intense scrutiny—not only for its conduct in the war but also for its handling of the October 7 security failures that led to the conflict’s eruption. After repeated delays and mounting public pressure, Israel’s government agreed on November 17, 2025, to launch an official investigation into the lapses that allowed the Hamas-led attack to occur. However, the nature of this inquiry has sparked widespread controversy.
Traditionally, Israel has relied on independent state commissions of inquiry, typically led by retired judges, to examine major governmental failures. This time, though, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government opted for a “government committee” to conduct the probe—one that Netanyahu himself will oversee. The decision, reported by AP and other outlets, has drawn sharp criticism from opposition leaders and civil society groups who argue that the government is seeking to avoid accountability.
Yair Lapid, Israel’s opposition leader, minced no words: "The government is doing everything it can to run from the truth and evade responsibility." The Movement for Quality Government in Israel, a prominent watchdog group, was equally blunt, declaring, "This is not an investigative commission, this is a cover-up commission." The committee’s formation, with key details to be announced within 45 days, has fueled suspicions that the investigation’s independence will be compromised.
Public sentiment appears to be firmly in favor of a more robust approach. A poll conducted in October 2025 by the Israel Democracy Institute found that nearly three-quarters of Israelis supported a fully independent commission of inquiry. Even among Netanyahu’s traditional right-wing base, 68% favored such a move. The poll, which surveyed 1,000 people, had a margin of error of 3.1 percentage points. Demonstrations in Tel Aviv and other cities have drawn thousands, many demanding a thorough and impartial reckoning with the events of October 7 and their aftermath.
The scope of the government’s investigation will extend beyond military matters to include the broader political and strategic decisions that shaped Israel’s approach to Gaza in the years leading up to the attack. Critics have pointed to Netanyahu’s controversial judicial overhaul efforts as a factor that weakened deterrence and signaled vulnerability to Israel’s adversaries. The government’s strategy of deterrence and containment—including allowing Qatari cash infusions into Gaza and sidelining the Palestinian Authority—has also come under fire.
Military investigations have already revealed that Israeli planners grossly underestimated Hamas’s capabilities. While the army anticipated a possible ground invasion from up to eight border points, Hamas exploited more than 60 attack routes on October 7, catching Israel’s defenses off guard. In the wake of these revelations, several high-ranking military and security officials, including the military chief of staff and head of military intelligence, have resigned or been forced out.
All of this unfolds against a backdrop of unrelenting violence and humanitarian distress in Gaza. The UN Security Council’s recent resolution signals renewed international resolve to seek a path out of the crisis. Yet, with nearly 500 Israeli soldiers killed since the war began and tens of thousands of Palestinian lives lost, the road to stability remains fraught with obstacles.
As the world watches, the fate of Gaza and the prospects for accountability in Israel hang in the balance. The coming weeks—and the choices made by leaders on all sides—will determine whether this moment becomes a turning point or just another chapter in a long, tragic conflict.
