UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese has accused Israel of effectively receiving a “license” to persecute Palestinians. Presenting a new report to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on Monday, she said evidence of ongoing “ethnic killing” in the occupied Palestinian territories has been documented. The report details what she described as Israel’s “widespread and systematic persecution” and the creation of a “painful environment” for Palestinians.

Albanese further alleged that various governments indirectly encourage Israel’s actions, claiming that most governments and their ministers have effectively allowed Israel to continue such practices. The report states that between October 2023 and January 2026, Israeli forces arrested more than 18,500 Palestinians, including children. During the same period, at least 100 people reportedly died in Israeli custody, and around 4,000 were allegedly disappeared.

The report also claims that thousands of Palestinians are being detained without charges and kept in inhumane conditions, underscoring what the envoy described as a pattern of systemic abuse.