Torture

This is part of an "escalating wave of bloodshed unleashed by Hamas against the ordinary Gazans it purports to represent," the Telegraph reported.

Hossein Shanbehzadeh was tortured and had death threats issued against his niece during interrogations, an informed source said. 

The report stressed that for wounded and ill hostages in Gaza, "each additional day in captivity may be fatal."

The released hostages added that Alexander, a soldier who was kidnapped in IDF uniform, was treated much more harshly by his captors than civilian hostages.

UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, Dr. Alice Jill Edwards, will present the report at a special event in Geneva, Switzerland.

The hostages were held in extremely unhealthy environments full of lice, bedbugs, mold and mildew.

Freed Israeli hostage Ofer Kalderon faced physical and mental abuse in Hamas captivity, including beatings, isolation, and restrictions on basic needs, his relatives revealed.

'Their game is to give you hope and then use your hope to break you,' Sala said, adding, 'I am not going back to Iran, at least as long as there is the Islamic Republic.'

PCATI's criticism suggested that shutting down IDF detention facilities may have been temporary and they may have returned to heavy use once the military started a new campaign in Gaza in October.

Andy Asselin was charged with aggravated kidnapping, a charge he denied in court.