Mass Detentions In The 2023 Israel–Hamas War
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Since the outbreak of the
Gaza war The Gaza war is an armed conflict in the Gaza Strip and southern Israel fought since 7 October 2023. A part of the unresolved Israeli–Palestinian conflict, Israeli–Palestinian and Gaza–Israel conflict, Gaza–Israel conflicts dating ...
on October 7, 2023, Israel has carried out mass
arrest An arrest is the act of apprehending and taking a person into custody (legal protection or control), usually because the person has been suspected of or observed committing a crime. After being taken into custody, the person can be question ...
s and detentions of Palestinians. Thousands have been arrested in the Israeli-occupied
Palestinian territories The occupied Palestinian territories, also referred to as the Palestinian territories, consist of the West Bank (including East Jerusalem) and the Gaza Strip—two regions of the former Mandate for Palestine, British Mandate for Palestine ...
and in
Israel Israel, officially the State of Israel, is a country in West Asia. It Borders of Israel, shares borders with Lebanon to the north, Syria to the north-east, Jordan to the east, Egypt to the south-west, and the Mediterranean Sea to the west. Isr ...
, based on alleged militant activity, offensive social media postings, or arbitrarily. News outlets and human rights organizations both within and outside of Israel reported that thousands of Gazan workers in Israel were detained in the weeks following October 7. Additionally, Israel has detained or
enforced disappearance An enforced disappearance (or forced disappearance) is the secret abduction or imprisonment of a person with the support or acquiescence of a State (polity), state followed by a refusal to acknowledge the person's fate or whereabouts with the i ...
of residents of the
Gaza Strip The Gaza Strip, also known simply as Gaza, is a small territory located on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea; it is the smaller of the two Palestinian territories, the other being the West Bank, that make up the State of Palestine. I ...
, arrested Palestinians in the
West Bank The West Bank is located on the western bank of the Jordan River and is the larger of the two Palestinian territories (the other being the Gaza Strip) that make up the State of Palestine. A landlocked territory near the coast of the Mediter ...
and
Arab citizens of Israel The Arab citizens of Israel form the country's largest ethnic minority. Their community mainly consists of former Palestinian Citizenship Order 1925, Mandatory Palestine citizens (and their descendants) who continued to inhabit the territory ...
, and detained fighters captured inside Israel. Concerns have been raised regarding the legality, secrecy, and conditions of many detentions, including allegations of mistreatment,
torture Torture is the deliberate infliction of severe pain or suffering on a person for reasons including corporal punishment, punishment, forced confession, extracting a confession, interrogational torture, interrogation for information, or intimid ...
, and
sexual assault Sexual assault is an act of sexual abuse in which one intentionally Physical intimacy, sexually touches another person without that person's consent, or Coercion, coerces or physically forces a person to engage in a sexual act against their w ...
. On 3 November 2023, Israel
deported Deportation is the expulsion of a person or group of people by a state from its Sovereignty, sovereign territory. The actual definition changes depending on the place and context, and it also changes over time. A person who has been deported or ...
3,200 Gazan Palestinian workers who were detained in Israel following the October 7 attacks to the Gaza Strip. In addition to Palestinian prisoners in custody prior to the outbreak of the war, an unknown number of individuals remain in detention. More than 4,700 Palestinians have been arrested in the West Bank and occupied
East Jerusalem East Jerusalem (, ; , ) is the portion of Jerusalem that was Jordanian annexation of the West Bank, held by Jordan after the 1948 Arab–Israeli War, as opposed to West Jerusalem, which was held by Israel. Captured and occupied in 1967, th ...
since October 7, according to the UN. Those arrested or detained include journalists, politicians and political activists, artists, medics and physicians, temporary workers, and other civilians, including women and children. As of July 2024, more than 9,700 Palestinians in total were being held in Israeli prisons, per the Palestinian Prisoners Club. Images of a mass arrest by Israeli soldiers in Gaza circulated widely during the war, showing men and boys with no known organizational affiliations stripped to their underwear, tied up, and blindfolded. After the images began to circulate, Israeli authorities and media described the scene as the surrender of 150 suspected Hamas militants in
Khan Younis Khan Yunis (), also spelled Khan Younis or Khan Yunus, is a city in the southern Gaza Strip, Palestine, and serves as the capital of the Khan Yunis Governorate. It has been largely destroyed during the Gaza war. Before the 14th century, Khan ...
. Analysts questioned the authenticity of the purported surrender, suggesting that it may have been staged by Israeli forces. Security officials later acknowledged that the scene was not a mass surrender of Hamas militants. Human rights groups have expressed concern about the images and the detentions.


Background


Incarceration of Palestinians by Israel

Since 1967, one million Palestinians have been arrested by Israel. In July 2023, the
United Nations Human Rights Office The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) is a department of the United Nations Secretariat that works to promote and protect human rights that are guaranteed under international law and stipulated in the Univers ...
reported that 5,000 Palestinians (including 160 minors) were incarcerated in Israeli jails and prisons. Some have been convicted of crimes by Israeli authorities; the
United Nations Special Rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories The Special Rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories, formally the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967, is a United Nations special rapporteur, special rapporteur who w ...
describes many convictions as resulting from "a litany of violations of
international law International law, also known as public international law and the law of nations, is the set of Rule of law, rules, norms, Customary law, legal customs and standards that State (polity), states and other actors feel an obligation to, and generall ...
, including
due process Due process of law is application by the state of all legal rules and principles pertaining to a case so all legal rights that are owed to a person are respected. Due process balances the power of law of the land and protects the individual p ...
violations, that taint the legitimacy of the administration of justice by the
occupying power Military occupation, also called belligerent occupation or simply occupation, is temporary hostile control exerted by a ruling power's military apparatus over a sovereign territory that is outside of the legal boundaries of that ruling pow ...
." As of August 2023, 1,200 Palestinians were held without any charges or trial, in a practice referred to as "
administrative detention Administrative detention is arrest and detention of individuals by the state without trial. A number of jurisdictions claim that it is done for security reasons. Many countries claim to use administrative detention as a means to combat terrorism ...
"; Israel justifies the practice on the basis of security. The administrative detention of at least 105 Palestinians was based on an Israeli law known as the "unlawful combatants law", which excludes the detained from
prisoner of war A prisoner of war (POW) is a person held captive by a belligerent power during or immediately after an armed conflict. The earliest recorded usage of the phrase "prisoner of war" dates back to 1610. Belligerents hold prisoners of war for a ...
status under article four of the
Third Geneva Convention The Third Geneva Convention, relative to the treatment of prisoners of war, is one of the four treaties of the Geneva Conventions. The Geneva Convention relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War was first adopted in 1929, but significantl ...
.


Outbreak of war on October 7

Hamas, which has governed the Gaza Strip since 2007, has been engaged in a prolonged conflict with Israel. On October 7, 2023, a significant surprise attack by Hamas on southern Israel marked a major escalation in the ongoing
Israeli-Palestinian conflict Israelis (; ) are the citizens and nationals of the State of Israel. The country's populace is composed primarily of Jews and Arabs, who respectively account for 75 percent and 20 percent of the national figure, followed by other ethnic and ...
. The IDF estimated that approximately 3,000 Hamas-led militants entered Israel during the invasion. The invasion was characterized by its scale and intensity, as the militants allegedly targeted both military bases and Israeli civilians, resulting in the deaths of an estimated 1,200 people in Israel (according to Israel, mostly non-combatants) and the capture of over 200 military captives and civilian hostages of varying ages. According to Israeli sources, more than 600 militants who participated in the attack were detained in Israel.


Revocation of work permits

Prior to the outbreak of the war, approximately 19,000 Gazan men over the age of 25 were permitted to work in Israel, predominantly in the
agricultural Agriculture encompasses crop and livestock production, aquaculture, and forestry for food and non-food products. Agriculture was a key factor in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created f ...
and construction sectors. The measure was intended to provide economic opportunities, with the aim of alleviating widespread poverty in the Gaza Strip. On October 10, the
Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories The Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT; ) is a unit in the Israeli Ministry of Defense tasked with overseeing civilian policy in the West Bank, as well as facilitating logistical coordination between Israel and the ...
(COGAT), a department of Israel's government responsible for administering the work permit program, revoked all work permits previously issued to Gaza residents and stated that "they will not be reinstated". The Israeli government's press office said: "There will be no more Palestinian workers from Gaza. Those workers from Gaza who were in Israel on the day of the outbreak of the war will be returned to Gaza." The suspension of work permits stripped these individuals of their legal status, rendering them "
illegal aliens Illegal immigration is the migration of people into a country in violation of that country's immigration laws, or the continuous residence in a country without the legal right to do so. Illegal immigration tends to be financially upward, wi ...
" under
Israeli law Israeli law is based mostly on a common law legal system, though it also reflects the diverse history of the territory of the State of Israel throughout the last hundred years (which was at various times prior to independence under Ottoman, t ...
.


Mass arrests, disappearances, and detentions

Israel has arrested over three thousand Palestinians from the West Bank since
October 7 2023 On October 7, 2023, Hamas and several other Palestinians, Palestinian militant groups launched coordinated armed incursions from the Gaza Strip into the Gaza envelope of southern Israel, the first invasion of Israeli territory since the 1948 ...
, and widely imposed administrative detention orders on them, according to local rights groups. According to the Palestinian Commission for Detainees and Ex-Prisoners' Affairs, the number of Palestinians in Israeli prisons had doubled from 5,200 prisoners before October 7 to more than 10,000 prisoners and detainees as of October 24. As of November 23, the Commission placed the number at 8,300, including 3,000 individuals held in administrative detention. While the IDF stated on December 4 that 2,150 Palestinians had been arrested in the West Bank since the outbreak of the war, it reported 3,450 arrests in the West Bank as of December 6. According to HaMoked, an Israeli NGO, 2,873 Palestinians were held in administrative detention as of December 6, an all-time high. On December 10, ''
The Washington Post ''The Washington Post'', locally known as ''The'' ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'' or ''WP'', is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C., the national capital. It is the most widely circulated newspaper in the Washington m ...
'' stated a pattern had emerged in which men and boys were detained by the Israeli military and then never heard from again. On December 16, the
OHCHR The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) is a department of the United Nations Secretariat that works to promote and protect human rights that are guaranteed under international law and stipulated in the Univers ...
stated it had received "numerous disturbing reports from the north of Gaza of mass detentions, ill-treatment and enforced disappearances of possibly thousands of Palestinians," including children. By 16 January 2024, the Palestinian Prisoners Society reported there were a total of 8,800 Palestinians in Israeli prisons. In July of 2024, there were 21,000 prisoners in Israeli jails, outreaching the maximum capacity of the system by some 6,500. The figure did not include about 2,500 Gazans, who were mostly held in military detention facilities.
Shin Bet The Israel Security Agency (ISA; , (GSS); ), better known by the Hebrew acronyms, acronyms Shabak (; ; ) or Shin Bet (from the abbreviation of , "Security Service"), is Israel's internal Security agency, security service. Its motto is "''Magen ...
director
Ronen Bar Ronen Bar (; born 25 December 1965) is an Israeli intelligence officer and the director of the Israeli Security Agency (commonly referred to as Shin Bet, Shabak, or ISA) since 13 October 2021. He replaced Nadav Argaman, after having served as ...
warned that the facilities had become a "ticking time bomb": "The physical and mental living conditions may lead to acts of violence inside the jails and prisons, and some inmates are already planning acts of violence and revenge," Bar said in a letter to Netanyahu.


Palestinians workers from Gaza

On October 23, ''
The Independent ''The Independent'' is a British online newspaper. It was established in 1986 as a national morning printed paper. Nicknamed the ''Indy'', it began as a broadsheet and changed to tabloid format in 2003. The last printed edition was publis ...
'' reported that "Palestinians with permission to work in Israel were rounded up, arrested and blindfolded before being taken to military camps" following the outbreak of hostilities. According to Dr. Nasri Abu Jaish, Minister of Labour for the
Palestinian Authority The Palestinian Authority (PA), officially known as the Palestinian National Authority (PNA), is the Fatah-controlled government body that exercises partial civil control over the Palestinian enclaves in the Israeli occupation of the West Bank, ...
, 4,500 workers were unaccounted for, but believed to have been detained by Israeli forces, as of that date; the
International Labour Organization The International Labour Organization (ILO) is a United Nations agency whose mandate is to advance social and economic justice by setting international labour standards. Founded in October 1919 under the League of Nations, it is one of the firs ...
estimated the number of missing workers at between 4,000 and 5,000. ''Jacobin'' and Muhammad Aruri, head of legal affairs for the General Union of Palestinian Workers, placed the number of detainees among this group at 4,000. COGAT confirmed the detention of an unspecified number of Gazans, but declined to comment on the reasons for the arrests or conditions of detention.
Amnesty International Amnesty International (also referred to as Amnesty or AI) is an international non-governmental organization focused on human rights, with its headquarters in the United Kingdom. The organization says that it has more than ten million members a ...
confirmed that thousands of Gazan workers were detained incommunicado for at least three weeks at two military detention centres in Israel. While several thousand were released, Amnesty stated that "there is no transparency from Israeli authorities" regarding the number of Gazans still in detention. By May 2024, 1,000 workers were reported as still missing.


Palestinians within Gaza

''
Time Time is the continuous progression of existence that occurs in an apparently irreversible process, irreversible succession from the past, through the present, and into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequ ...
'' reported on November 20, 2023 that the total number of Gazans who have been detained by Israeli forces in recent weeks remained unclear. ''Haaretz'' reported on January 3, 2024 that 661 Gazan Palestinians were detained in Israeli jails, representing a 150% increase from the previous month; this number does not include Gazans detained at military facilities. On November 19, 200 Palestinian men from Gaza were detained by
Israel Defense Forces The Israel Defense Forces (IDF; , ), alternatively referred to by the Hebrew-language acronym (), is the national military of the State of Israel. It consists of three service branches: the Israeli Ground Forces, the Israeli Air Force, and ...
while attempting to evacuate with their families in a southerly direction within the Gaza Strip. The detentions came to light due to the detention of Mosab Abu Toha among the men. The Israeli military detained the men at a checkpoint as they attempted to leave the north of Gaza for the south. According to the head of the Palestinian Prisoners' Association, 153 women have been arrested in Gaza since the outbreak of the war, including pregnant women and women detained with their babies. The
Ministry of Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs The Ministry of Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs is a government agency responsible for the welfare and well-being of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails and their families. It was established in 1998 as part of the Palestinian Authority und ...
stated women from Gaza had been subjected to
torture Torture is the deliberate infliction of severe pain or suffering on a person for reasons including corporal punishment, punishment, forced confession, extracting a confession, interrogational torture, interrogation for information, or intimid ...
and
abuse Abuse is the act of improper usage or treatment of a person or thing, often to unfairly or improperly gain benefit. Abuse can come in many forms, such as: physical or verbal maltreatment, injury, assault, violation, rape, unjust practices, ...
. On December 25, footage emerged showing hundreds of detained men and boys stripped to their underwear and held in a stadium. On 1 February 2024, ''
Haaretz ''Haaretz'' (; originally ''Ḥadshot Haaretz'' – , , ) is an List of newspapers in Israel, Israeli newspaper. It was founded in 1918, making it the longest running newspaper currently in print in Israel. The paper is published in Hebrew lan ...
'' reported that Israel had detained an 82-year-old grandmother with Alzheimers for two months as an "unlawful combatant" and only released her after an appeal. On 6 February, dozens were arrested in
Gaza City Gaza City, also called Gaza, is a city in the Gaza Strip, Palestine, and the capital of the Gaza Governorate. Located on the Mediterranean coast, southwest of Jerusalem, it was home to Port of Gaza, Palestine's only port. With a population of ...
, including children. On 9 February, the
Council on American-Islamic Relations A council is a group of people who come together to consult, deliberate, or make decisions. A council may function as a legislature, especially at a town, city or county/shire level, but most legislative bodies at the state/provincial or nation ...
demanded the release of two U.S. citizen brothers detained in Gaza, leading National Security Council spokesman John Kirby to state the US would speak to Israel.


Healthcare workers

On 15 November 2023, reports emerged alleging detentions by Israeli forces at
Al-Shifa Hospital Al-Shifa Hospital ( ''Mustašfā aš-Šifāʾ'' ) was the largest medical complex and central hospital in the Gaza Strip, Palestine, located in the neighborhood of northern Rimal in Gaza City. The hospital was first established by the govern ...
in Gaza. Doctors who spoke to
Al Jazeera Arabic Al Jazeera Arabic ( , ) is a Qatari state-funded Arabic-language news television network. It is based in Doha and operated by the Al Jazeera Media Network, which also operates Al Jazeera English. It is the largest news network in the Middle ...
, one of the few international outlets able to access sources within the hospital, stated that the detainees were blindfolded and stripped naked. ''
Mondoweiss ''Mondoweiss'' is a news website that began as a general-interest blog written by Philip Weiss on ''The New York Observer'' website. It subsequently developed into a broader collaborative venture after fellow journalist Adam Horowitz joined it ...
'' cited
Al Jazeera Al Jazeera Media Network (AJMN; , ) is a private-media conglomerate headquartered in Wadi Al Sail, Doha, funded in part by the government of Qatar. The network's flagship channels include Al Jazeera Arabic and Al Jazeera English, which pro ...
reports that "Israeli forces took captive dozens of displaced people, relatives of patients and the injured", and that the detainees were transferred to undisclosed locations. ''
China Daily ''China Daily'' ( zh, s=中国日报, p=Zhōngguó Rìbào) is an English-language daily newspaper owned by the Central Propaganda Department of the Chinese Communist Party. Overview ''China Daily'' has the widest print circulation of any ...
'', a Chinese state-run media outlet, reported on similar statements by the hospital's director, Mohammed Abu Salmiya, who referred to "dozens" of detentions at the hospital. On 23 November, Abu Salmiya was himself arrested by Israeli forces, along with other medics. As of 4 December 2023, the fate of Abu Salmiya remained unknown; Israeli authorities declined to answer questions by ''
The Jerusalem Post ''The Jerusalem Post'' is an English language, English-language Israeli broadsheet newspaper based in Jerusalem, Israel, founded in 1932 during the Mandate for Palestine, British Mandate of Mandatory Palestine, Palestine by Gershon Agron as ''Th ...
'', but "hinted" that he remained in
Shin Bet The Israel Security Agency (ISA; , (GSS); ), better known by the Hebrew acronyms, acronyms Shabak (; ; ) or Shin Bet (from the abbreviation of , "Security Service"), is Israel's internal Security agency, security service. Its motto is "''Magen ...
custody. He had not been charged with an offence. On 30 November 2023, the
Palestine Red Crescent Society The Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS; ) is the humanitarian organization that is the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement in the State of Palestine, which includes the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip. ...
stated that the whereabouts of the head of Khan Younis Emergency Medical Center had been unknown for nine days, following his arrest by Israeli authorities. On December 3, the
Gaza Health Ministry The Gaza Health Ministry (GHM), officially the Palestinian Ministry of Health – Gaza, is responsible for managing healthcare and medical services in the Gaza Strip. The health ministry's casualty reports have received significant attention d ...
stated that 34 medics in Gaza had been detained by Israel. On 12 December 2023, the
World Health Organization The World Health Organization (WHO) is a list of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations which coordinates responses to international public health issues and emergencies. It is headquartered in Gen ...
reported on the mass detentions of medical staff. Adnan al-Bursh, the head of orthopedics at al-Shifa was arrested with two nurses. On December 13, the British-organization
Medical Aid for Palestinians Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP) is a British charitable organization, charity that offers medical services in the West Bank, Gaza Strip, Gaza and Lebanon, and advocates for Palestinians' rights to health and dignity. It is in List of organiza ...
stated 70 medics at the Kamal Adwan Hospital had been detained by the IDF. On December 19, the
Gaza Health Ministry The Gaza Health Ministry (GHM), officially the Palestinian Ministry of Health – Gaza, is responsible for managing healthcare and medical services in the Gaza Strip. The health ministry's casualty reports have received significant attention d ...
stated that Israel was holding 93 healthcare workers "in inhumane conditions, under interrogation ndunder torture, starvation and extreme cold." On 28 January 2024, the head of head of orthopedic surgery at
Nasser Hospital The Nasser Hospital (or Nasser Medical Complex) is one of the largest hospitals in the Gaza Strip, Palestine. During the Gaza war, Nasser was one of the final active hospitals in Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip, and was one of the last f ...
was arrested. One paramedic arrested in
Jabalia Jabalia, also spelled Jabalya (), is a city in the Gaza Strip, Palestine, located north of Gaza City, in the North Gaza Governorate of the Gaza Strip. According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, Jabalia had a population of 172, ...
stated he and his colleagues were beaten in their sensitive areas, heads, and backs, and had rocks thrown at them. A group of ten healthcare workers described being
torture Torture is the deliberate infliction of severe pain or suffering on a person for reasons including corporal punishment, punishment, forced confession, extracting a confession, interrogational torture, interrogation for information, or intimid ...
d in detention. A doctor arrested while working at Ahli Arab Hospital in December 2023 described being shackled and blindfolded. On 5 February 2024, the general manager and administrative director of al-Amal Hospital were arrested. On 6 February, two medical volunteers were arrested while evacuating from the al-Amal Hospital. Several medical workers were arrested at al-Amal on 9 February. Eight more al-Amal hospital were arrested on 10 February. On 19 February, the Red Crescent stated that twelve of its medics were continuing to be detained two weeks after Israel's raid on Al-Amal Hospital. Citing the Health Ministry, UNOCHA reported on 20 February that 70 medical personnel had been arrested following the Nasser Hospital siege. On 3 March 2024, the Palestinian Red Crescent stated 14 of its staff members were detained, with their status or whereabouts unknown. One staff member was released on 17 March after spending 36 days in detention. Seven more staff were released on 28 March after being held for 47 days. In September 2024, a Palestinian Medical Relief Society paramedic stated that during his arrest, he was stripped naked, zip-tied, blindfolded, and that Israeli soldiers put an assault rifle against his head, doused him in gasoline, and threatened to set him on fire. On 3 May 2024, it was announced that Dr. Adnan Al-Bursh had died on 19 April 2024 while in Israeli captivity. Further details on his cause of death have not yet been given, but dozens of fellow detainees attest to the systematic torture of the doctor, and say it led to his death. In October 2024, staff at the
Kamal Adwan Hospital During the Israeli invasion of the Gaza Strip, the Kamal Adwan Hospital, a hospital in Beit Lahia, Gaza Strip, Palestine, was besieged multiple times by the Israel Defense Forces until Israel shut it down on December 27, 2024. On December 27, 2 ...
stated that more than 30 medical personnel had been detained by the Israeli army during a raid, including the hospital's head of nursing, an employee of the American medical organization MedGlobal.


December 7 mass detention

On December 7, widely-circulated video and images showed dozens of Palestinian men and boys in Northern Gaza blindfolded, stripped partially naked, and kneeling on the ground, guarded by Israeli soldiers. Soon after the images began to surface on social media, Israeli authorities and Israeli media (initially without citing any source) described the mass arrest as the surrender of 150 Hamas militants by the Israeli Defence Forces and Shin Bet. However, analysis of the video by Al Jazeera's verification unit concluded that the purported "surrender" had been staged, noting discrepancies between different "
take A take is a single continuous recorded performance. The term is used in film and music to denote and track the stages of production. Film In cinematography, a take refers to each filmed "version" of a particular shot or "setup". Takes of each ...
s" of the footage. BBC Verify also suggested the scene "performed for the camera, rather than as an act of authentic surrender". It pointed out that the detainees had already been stripped of their clothes, were held at gunpoint, and were given directions from soldiers off-camera, and that it was unclear if they were surrendering weapons or merely moving them around at the instructions of IDF. The BBC further noted that it is unclear whether the individuals depicted have any involvement with Hamas or the October 7 attack. Finally, the BBC opined that Benjamin Netanyahu is keen to portray the IDF as defeating Hamas. The IDF did not directly respond to the
BBC The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current sta ...
's questions about the circumstances surrounding the footage. Hamas denied allegations that dozens of its members had surrendered, referring to these reports as "false and baseless". ''
Haaretz ''Haaretz'' (; originally ''Ḥadshot Haaretz'' – , , ) is an List of newspapers in Israel, Israeli newspaper. It was founded in 1918, making it the longest running newspaper currently in print in Israel. The paper is published in Hebrew lan ...
'' reported that approximately 10-15% of the men were affiliated with armed groups according to security officials, who stated that this was "not a mass surrender of entire units of Hamas". Several of the detainees are civilians with no known affiliation with any armed group, including a journalist. In a statement on December 7, the
Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor (commonly known as Euro-Med Monitor and sometimes as Euro-Med HRM) is an independent, nonprofit organization for the protection of human rights. Richard Falk, the former United Nations Special Rapporteu ...
(a Geneva-based NGO) referred to "reports that Israeli forces launched random and arbitrary arrest campaigns against displaced people, including doctors, academics, journalists, and elderly men" sheltering in
UNRWA The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA, pronounced ) is a UN agency that supports the relief and human development of Palestinian refugees. UNRWA's mandate encompasses Palestinians who fl ...
schools. IDF spokesperson Rear Admiral
Daniel Hagari Daniel Hagari (; born 1976) is an Israel Defense Forces Rear Admiral ( Tat-Aluf) who currently serves as the head of the IDF Spokesperson's Unit. Previously he has served as the commander of the Israeli Navy's operations directorate, the Chief ...
stated: "We arrest everyone" for interrogation.
Al Jazeera Al Jazeera Media Network (AJMN; , ) is a private-media conglomerate headquartered in Wadi Al Sail, Doha, funded in part by the government of Qatar. The network's flagship channels include Al Jazeera Arabic and Al Jazeera English, which pro ...
reported on December 8 that some of the detained men had been released. However ''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'' reported that, according to family members and local rights groups, some of the men had not been seen since their detention. According to relatives, two of the detainees were 13- and 72-years-old respectively, and thus not of fighting age. A former legal adviser to the U.S. State Department described the treatment of the detainees as seemingly inconsistent with international law, and referred to Israel's presumption that military-aged men are fighters as "troubling". The
International Committee of the Red Cross The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is a humanitarian organization based in Geneva, Switzerland, and is a three-time Nobel Prize laureate. The organization has played an instrumental role in the development of rules of war and ...
expressed concern about the images, emphasizing "the importance of treating all those detained with humanity and dignity" under international law. Muhammed Shehada, communications chief at Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor, told Al Jazeera that the images and videos could only have been taken by Israeli soldiers or media embedded with them, as no Palestinian photographers remain in the area. A spokesperson for the U.S. State Department called the images "disturbing." Men and boys released on December 9 reported the IDF had beaten them, given them only minimal water, prevented them from using the toilet, and forced them to sleep on raw rice. One fourteen-year-old boy stated he was stripped and beaten, and that female Israeli soldiers had spat on him and the other detainees. ''
Al-Araby Al-Jadeed ''The New Arab'' or ''Al-Araby Al-Jadeed'' () is a London-based pan-Arab news outlet owned by Qatari company Fadaat Media. It launched an Arabic-language website in March 2014 and an Arabic language daily newspaper in September 2014. The Engl ...
'' reporter Diaa al-Kahlout, who was arrested during the 7 December mass arrest, was released on 9 January. Al-Kahlout stated, "We were sitting in a situation of torture".


December 10 mass detention

The Israeli media outlet
Ynet Ynet (stylized in all lowercase) is an Israeli news and general-content website, and the online outlet for the '' Yedioth Ahronoth'' newspaper. History Ynet launched on June 6, 2000, in Hebrew, following other Hebrew outlet's website launches ...
reported on a mass detention which it described as the surrender of dozens of suspected Hamas militants to Israeli forces in
Jabaliya Jabalia, also spelled Jabalya (), is a city in the Gaza Strip, Palestine, located north of Gaza City, in the North Gaza Governorate of the Gaza Strip. According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, Jabalia had a population of 172,70 ...
on December 10. Following their arrest, the men were stripped naked, blindfolded, handcuffed, and detained.


March 6 mass detention

On 6 March, Israeli forces operating in
Khan Younis Khan Yunis (), also spelled Khan Younis or Khan Yunus, is a city in the southern Gaza Strip, Palestine, and serves as the capital of the Khan Yunis Governorate. It has been largely destroyed during the Gaza war. Before the 14th century, Khan ...
stated they had conducted sweeping raids in a residential tower and arrested some 250 people. Israel stated these individuals were "operatives" and that they had additionally seized weapons during the raid.


Siege of Jabalia

During the Siege of Jabalia, Israel conducted mass arrests of Palestinian men.


Palestinians in the West Bank and East Jerusalem

The International Committee of the Red Cross expressed "high concern" regarding "the sharp increase in henumber of arrests" in the occupied West Bank since October 7. Amnesty International has also criticized the "spike in arbitrary arrests" of Palestinians since October 7. Similarly, ''
The Wall Street Journal ''The Wall Street Journal'' (''WSJ''), also referred to simply as the ''Journal,'' is an American newspaper based in New York City. The newspaper provides extensive coverage of news, especially business and finance. It operates on a subscriptio ...
'' reported that the rate of arrests in the occupied West Bank has "more than doubled" since that date. On October 17, Al Jazeera reported that nearly 700 people had been arrested in the West Bank and occupied East Jerusalem since the outbreak of the war. By October 28, this number had climbed to 1,550, according to estimates by the Palestinian Prisoners Society. ''
The Globe and Mail ''The Globe and Mail'' is a Newspapers in Canada, Canadian newspaper printed in five cities in Western Canada, western and central Canada. With a weekly readership of more than 6 million in 2024, it is Canada's most widely read newspaper on week ...
'' reported that Israel had advised the Palestinian Authority of the existence of 1,700 prisoners, but not their whereabouts, as of October 31. On November 6, ''Al Jazeera'' reported that 1,740 individuals had been arrested in overnight raids since the outbreak of the war; ''BBC'' reported the total number of arrestees at 2,150, according to the Palestinian Prisoners Society. The ''
Associated Press The Associated Press (AP) is an American not-for-profit organization, not-for-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association, and produces news reports that are dist ...
'' placed the number at 2,280 on November 8, citing the Palestinian Prisoners Society; on November 10, ''
The Nation ''The Nation'' is a progressive American monthly magazine that covers political and cultural news, opinion, and analysis. It was founded on July 6, 1865, as a successor to William Lloyd Garrison's '' The Liberator'', an abolitionist newspaper ...
'' reported that the number was "at least 2,200". By November 8, the number of Palestinians held without charge or trial had increased from 1,319 to 2,070 since October 7, according to HaMoked. On November 15, ''Mondoweiss'' reported that arrests in the West Bank continued, with 54 Palestinians arrested the previous night in overnight raids. On November 28, the IDF told ''The'' ''Times of Israel'' that approximately 2,000 West Bank Palestinians had been arrested, while Palestinian monitoring groups reported 3,290 arrests. On December 3, the Palestinian Prisoners Society reported 3,480 arrests, while the IDF reported 2,150 as of December 4 and 3,450 as of December 6. Al Jazeera reported that, as of January 10, 2024, nearly 6,000 Palestinians had been arrested in the West Bank since October 7, 2023. An estimated 3,000 were being held under
administrative detention Administrative detention is arrest and detention of individuals by the state without trial. A number of jurisdictions claim that it is done for security reasons. Many countries claim to use administrative detention as a means to combat terrorism ...
. Detainees arrested in Deir Abu Mash'al, described the experience of being arrested by Israeli forces, stating that soldiers went door to door arresting people, blindfolding them, tying their hands, and taking them to an open building for interrogation. Family members of detainees stated the Israeli army was unjustly arresting and interrogating people. Two directors and an employee from The Freedom Theatre were arrested by the IDF, with one stating, "They treated us like animals. They are trying to hurt us in anyway they can." One director, Mostafa Sheta, remained in custody and was believed to be held in the Megiddo military prison in northern Israel. The
Royal Court Theatre The Royal Court Theatre, at different times known as the Court Theatre, the New Chelsea Theatre, and the Belgravia Theatre, is a West End theatre#London's non-commercial theatres, non-commercial theatre in Sloane Square, London, England, opene ...
responded to the reports by demanding for the release of the men. On 22 February 2024, a spokesperson for
Birzeit University Birzeit University () is a public university in the West Bank, Palestine, registered by the Palestinian Ministry of Social Affairs as a charitable organization. It is accredited by the Palestinian Ministry of Education and Higher Education, Mini ...
stated that Israeli forces had detained the undergraduate student council president, with more than sixty students arrested since 7 October. In March 2024, verified footage showed Israeli soldiers arresting a group of Palestinians, tying them up with rope, and dragging them. In July 2024,
PEN International PEN International (known as International PEN until 2010) is a worldwide professional association, association of writers, founded in London in 1921 to promote friendship and intellectual co-operation among writers everywhere. The association ...
condemned the detention of the president of PEN Palestine Hanan Awwad in East Jerusalem. In August 2024, Palestinian families in the West Bank reported hundreds of people were missing, with the Israeli military giving conflicting reports of their condition and whereabouts.


Arab–Israelis

CNN Cable News Network (CNN) is a multinational news organization operating, most notably, a website and a TV channel headquartered in Atlanta. Founded in 1980 by American media proprietor Ted Turner and Reese Schonfeld as a 24-hour cable ne ...
reported that dozens of Palestinian residents and citizens were arrested for "expressions of solidarity" with the civilian population of Gaza, sharing
Quran The Quran, also Romanization, romanized Qur'an or Koran, is the central religious text of Islam, believed by Muslims to be a Waḥy, revelation directly from God in Islam, God (''Allah, Allāh''). It is organized in 114 chapters (, ) which ...
verses, or expressing "any support for the Palestinian people". ''Haaretz'' described the widespread targeting of
Arab Israelis The Arab citizens of Israel form the country's largest ethnic minority. Their community mainly consists of former Mandatory Palestine citizens (and their descendants) who continued to inhabit the territory that was acknowledged as Israeli by ...
by Israeli security forces. Rights groups have criticized what they describe as Israel's crackdown on internal dissent. The
Israel Police The Israel Police (; ) is the civilian police force of Israel. As with most other police forces in the world, its duties include crime fighting, traffic control, maintaining public safety, and counter-terrorism. It is under the jurisdiction o ...
announced that since the beginning of the war, as of October 25, they have detained 110 individuals for allegedly promoting violence and terrorism, primarily through social medial; of these, CNN reported that "only 17 resulted in indictments. Most people were released without further charges, usually after a few days." Abeer Baker, a human rights lawyer representing some of the arrestees, commented that the low number of charges indicated that many of the arrests were for lawful statements. Citing an "emergency coalition" of Israeli lawyers, Al Jazeera placed the number of arrestees at 172 on November 7. Referring to "hundreds" of interrogations, ''
El País (; ) is a Spanish-language daily newspaper in Spain. is based in the capital city of Madrid and it is owned by the Spanish media conglomerate PRISA. It is the second-most circulated daily newspaper in Spain . is the most read newspaper in ...
'' reported on November 11 that Israel increasingly treats its Arab minority as a "potential
fifth column A fifth column is a group of people who undermine a larger group or nation from within, usually in favor of an enemy group or another nation. The activities of a fifth column can be overt or clandestine. Forces gathered in secret can mobilize ...
". As of November 30, 270 Arab–Israelis had been arrested, according to Adalah (an Israeli NGO).


Status of detainees

''
The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in Manchester in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'' and changed its name in 1959, followed by a move to London. Along with its sister paper, ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardi ...
'' and Al Jazeera reported on November 3 that 3,200 Gazan workers had been deported back to Gaza. The fate of other Gaza residents working in Israel remains unknown, as Israeli authorities have declined to respond to questions posed by
NGO A non-governmental organization (NGO) is an independent, typically nonprofit organization that operates outside government control, though it may get a significant percentage of its funding from government or corporate sources. NGOs often focus ...
s. ''El País'' reports that 1,000 arrested Gazan workers remained missing as of November 27. Multiple human rights organizations warned that prisoners' rights and conditions of detention had deteriorated drastically in Israeli prisons following the October 7 attack by Hamas. Fast-tracked legislation placed Palestinian detainees under "state of emergency" status, which further restricted their rights. Human rights organizations in Israel have undertaken efforts to secure the release of Palestinian detainees. On October 22, six organizations (HaMoked,
Gisha Gisha or Guisha (, also called Kuy-e Nasr, ), originally Kisha (from the names of its two founders, "Keynejad" and "Shapourian"), is a neighborhood in Tehran, Iran. The neighborhood was known as a center for youth recreation, shopping, and dating. ...
, the
Public Committee Against Torture in Israel The Public Committee Against Torture in Israel (PCATI; ) is an Israeli NGO established in 1990 that monitors the use of torture and ill-treatment by Israeli security services against Palestinians under detention. PCATI was founded in 1990 in rea ...
,
Physicians for Human Rights–Israel Physicians for Human Rights–Israel (PHR-I or PHR-IL; ) is a non-governmental, non-profit, human rights organization based in Jaffa. Physicians for Human Rights–Israel was founded in 1988 with the goal of promoting "a just society where the ...
, Adalah, and the
Association for Civil Rights in Israel The Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI) (; ) was created in 1972 as an independent, non-partisan not-for-profit organization with the mission of protecting human rights and civil rights in Israel and the territories under its control. ...
) petitioned the High Court for a
habeas corpus ''Habeas corpus'' (; from Medieval Latin, ) is a legal procedure invoking the jurisdiction of a court to review the unlawful detention or imprisonment of an individual, and request the individual's custodian (usually a prison official) to ...
injunction An injunction is an equitable remedy in the form of a special court order compelling a party to do or refrain from doing certain acts. It was developed by the English courts of equity but its origins go back to Roman law and the equitable rem ...
. The petition asked the High Court to order the disclosure of all names and whereabouts of Gaza residents held in Israeli detention facilities, and the release of any person unlawfully detained. The six groups requested that those released be permitted to remain in the West Bank until they are able to return to Gaza. According to Adalah, the petitioning organizations stated: Along with the High Court petition, Physicians for Human Rights–Israel reported on October 26 that it had contacted "several nternationalbodies", including the
International Committee of the Red Cross The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is a humanitarian organization based in Geneva, Switzerland, and is a three-time Nobel Prize laureate. The organization has played an instrumental role in the development of rules of war and ...
, urging them to "pressure the IPS nowiki/>Israel Prison Service">Israel_Prison_Service.html" ;"title="nowiki/>Israel Prison Service">nowiki/>Israel Prison Serviceand other Israeli security bodies to adhere to the law" in relation to the rights of detainees. On November 3, the United Nations Human Rights Office stated that two Palestinians arrested since October 7 had died in Israeli custody. According to Israeli authorities, four Palestinians had died in custody as of November 8. By November 21, the total number of deaths in custody had reached six. According to the United Nations Human Rights Office, this rate of deaths in Israeli custody has not been seen "in decades". After reaching the 2023 Gaza war ceasefire on November 22, Israel compiled a list of 300 Palestinian prisoners who could be released from custody; Al Jazeera reports that this list only includes individuals arrested prior to October 7. However, the ''Times of Israel'' reports that 50 Palestinian prisoners were added to the list on November 27, including 25 Arab-Israelis, "almost all" of whom were arrested since October 7. While 240 Palestinians were released during the seven-day truce, Israel arrested 260 others during the same timespan, according to the Palestinian Prisoners Society. Israel's arrests included Palestinian-Americans, such as one thirteen-year-old boy held in
Ofer Prison Ofer Prison (, ''Kele Ofer''), formerly officially known as Incarceration Facility 385 (), is an Israeli incarceration facility in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. It is one of three prison facilities along with Megiddo and Ktzi'ot, the latt ...
who was reportedly pressured by the Israeli army to confess to throwing stones. Palestinian prisoners held under administrative detention can be held for months or even years without ever facing any charges.


Allegations of torture and mistreatment


Allegations by non-governmental and international organizations


= Torture

= On November 8, Amnesty International reported on cases of
torture Torture is the deliberate infliction of severe pain or suffering on a person for reasons including corporal punishment, punishment, forced confession, extracting a confession, interrogational torture, interrogation for information, or intimid ...
and degrading treatment by Israeli authorities, which it described as "horrifying", "gruesome", and "a particularly chilling public display of torture and humiliation of Palestinian detainees." In relation to the recent spike in detentions, Amnesty's Secretary General,
Agnès Callamard Agnès Paulette Solange Callamard (; born 14 March 1963) is a French human rights activist who is the Secretary General of Amnesty International. She was previously the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary, or arbitrary executions appoint ...
, noted that "arbitrary detention and torture and other ill-treatment are
war crime A war crime is a violation of the laws of war that gives rise to individual criminal responsibility for actions by combatants in action, such as intentionally killing civilians or intentionally killing prisoners of war, torture, taking hostage ...
s when committed against
protected persons Protected persons is a legal term under international humanitarian law and refers to persons who are under specific protection of the 1949 Geneva Conventions, their 1977 Additional Protocols, and customary international humanitarian law during an ...
in an occupied territory." On December 3, the
United Nations Human Rights Office The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) is a department of the United Nations Secretariat that works to promote and protect human rights that are guaranteed under international law and stipulated in the Univers ...
in the occupied Palestinian territories called for an investigation into allegations of torture. In a statement, the Office said: "The massive rise in number of Palestinians arrested and detained, the number of reports of ill-treatment and humiliation suffered by those in custody, and the reported failure to adhere to basic due process raise serious questions about Israel's compliance with
international humanitarian law International humanitarian law (IHL), also referred to as the laws of armed conflict or the laws of war, is the law that regulates the conduct of war (''wikt:jus in bello, jus in bello''). It is a branch of international law that seeks to limit ...
and
international human rights law International human rights law (IHRL) is the body of international law designed to promote human rights on social, regional, and domestic levels. As a form of international law, international human rights law is primarily made up of treaties, ag ...
." On 19 January, the Human Rights Office stated they had interviewed detainees who "described being beaten, humiliated, subjected to ill-treatment, and to what may amount to torture... consistent with reports our Office has been gathering of the detention of Palestinians on a broad scale." In March 2024, a UNRWA report reported "countless" instances of torture documented in Israeli prisons, including beatings and sexual assault. The
Public Committee Against Torture in Israel The Public Committee Against Torture in Israel (PCATI; ) is an Israeli NGO established in 1990 that monitors the use of torture and ill-treatment by Israeli security services against Palestinians under detention. PCATI was founded in 1990 in rea ...
(PCATI) stated that there was a "lot of evidence of cases of violence and cruel and humiliating treatment by prison guards", and called for an investigation into the deaths of detainees in Israeli custody. PCATI stated they had documented nine clear instances of torture, including sexual violence. On January 3, 2024,
Human Rights Watch Human Rights Watch (HRW) is an international non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on human rights. Headquartered in New York City, the group investigates and reports on issues including War crime, war crimes, crim ...
reported that Palestinian workers from Gaza detained in Israel since October 7 had been photographed naked, attacked by dogs, and dragged faced down in the gravel. In a report on allegations of
torture Torture is the deliberate infliction of severe pain or suffering on a person for reasons including corporal punishment, punishment, forced confession, extracting a confession, interrogational torture, interrogation for information, or intimid ...
in Israeli prisons, Euro-Med Monitor stated prisoners were being treated like animals. ''
The Wall Street Journal ''The Wall Street Journal'' (''WSJ''), also referred to simply as the ''Journal,'' is an American newspaper based in New York City. The newspaper provides extensive coverage of news, especially business and finance. It operates on a subscriptio ...
'' found detainees underwent psychological and physical abuse, including beatings during interrogations. Doctors reported humiliation, beatings, and being forced to kneel for hours. Adalah reported, "We’re seeing really widespread and systemic use of many, many tools in order to inflict torture and ill-treatment on Palestinians". A
Defence for Children International Defence for Children International (DCI) is an international non-governmental organisation (INGO) set up in 1979, during the International Year of the Child, to ensure on-going, practical, systematic and concerted international and national acti ...
report included the testimony of an incarcerated child who stated, "Around 18 children were severely beaten, screaming in pain. I saw police dogs attacking them, bleeding from the mouth and head." The United Nations human rights office reported some detainees were released wearing only diapers.
Addameer Addameer (), officially Addameer Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association (), is a Palestinian NGO based in Ramallah. Addameer monitors the treatment of Palestinian prisoners arrested in the West Bank by Israel and the Palestinian Author ...
reported that prisoners remained blindfolded and handcuffed during their detention and people were being killed in the military camps. In March 2024, the UN stated that Israel had detained and tortured its employees in Gaza to extract forced confessions.


UN staff

According to February 2024 UNRWA report, Israeli officials detained and tortured UN staff, coercing them into falsely stating that agency staff had participated in the 7 October attack. The allegations of torture came from staff who stated they were forced to make confessions under torture and ill-treatment, including "beatings, sleep deprivation, sexual abuse and threats of sexual violence against both men and women" in Israeli detention. Detainees reported being stripped down to their underwear and forced completely naked. The report found that UN staff were "pressured to make false statements against the Agency, including that the Agency has affiliations with Hamas and that UNRWA staff members took part in the 7 October 2023 atrocities" through beatings, waterboarding, and threats to their families. In a statement, the UNRWA communications director stated, "When the war comes to an end there needs to be a series of inquiries to look into all violations of human rights". The Israel Defense Forces stated it was investigating "complaints of inappropriate behavior". In response to the report, the
World Organisation Against Torture The World Organisation Against Torture (''Organisation Mondiale Contre la Torture''; OMCT) is the world's largest coalition of non-governmental organisations fighting against arbitrary detention, torture, summary and extrajudicial execution ...
condemned Israel, stating, "Both torture and the use of any such information violates the UN Convention Against Torture".


= Due process violations

= The United Nations Human Rights Office warned that detainees "are reportedly not granted due process and judicial guarantees, as required by international law". OHCHR spokesperson Liz Throssell commented: "We have received credible and consistent reports indicating a further increase in the ill-treatment of detainees, which in many cases could amount to
torture Torture is the deliberate infliction of severe pain or suffering on a person for reasons including corporal punishment, punishment, forced confession, extracting a confession, interrogational torture, interrogation for information, or intimid ...
." Also on October 29, the ACRI reportedly contacted Israel's
Attorney General In most common law jurisdictions, the attorney general (: attorneys general) or attorney-general (AG or Atty.-Gen) is the main legal advisor to the government. In some jurisdictions, attorneys general also have executive responsibility for law enf ...
and Police Commissioner, demanding an end to the practice of publishing "humiliating" images of Arab detainees suspected of "expressing support for terrorism". The appeal criticized infringements of the detainees' rights to "dignity, privacy, and due process", stating that the practice was "designed entirely to degrade and humiliate the detainees." On 16 January 2024, the Israeli government renewed an emergency order preventing Palestinians detained in Gaza from accessing an attorney. The
Defense for Children International Defence for Children International (DCI) is an international non-governmental organisation (INGO) set up in 1979, during the International Year of the Child, to ensure on-going, practical, systematic and concerted international and national acti ...
stated that one in three juvenile detainees were being held under administrative detention, which it called a "a cruel tool" because "secret charges" could be added to their case without their lawyers knowing.


= Holding conditions

= The
International Committee of the Red Cross The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is a humanitarian organization based in Geneva, Switzerland, and is a three-time Nobel Prize laureate. The organization has played an instrumental role in the development of rules of war and ...
stated that it was "deeply concerned" about its inability to assess the treatment and conditions of detainees, reporting that detainees are unable to access legal counsel or contact relatives. Adalah referred to "testimony ndicatingthat the holding conditions in the detention centres are extremely dire." The
Association for Civil Rights in Israel The Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI) (; ) was created in 1972 as an independent, non-partisan not-for-profit organization with the mission of protecting human rights and civil rights in Israel and the territories under its control. ...
(ACRI) petitioned the Israeli High Court of Justice on October 23, seeking cancellation of the directive allowing Israeli authorities to house "security and criminal detainees on the floor in overcrowded conditions during a state of emergency." On October 29, the ACRI reported the petition had been dismissed by the High Court. The court ruled that considering the legal framework of the amendment, including its temporary nature and the balance mechanisms it establishes, especially under extraordinary national circumstances, there were no grounds for judicial intervention. Speaking to the ICRC, the Commission for Detainees' Affairs alleged that prisoners and detainees were subject to bans on going outside, confiscation of belongings, reduction in food,
torture Torture is the deliberate infliction of severe pain or suffering on a person for reasons including corporal punishment, punishment, forced confession, extracting a confession, interrogational torture, interrogation for information, or intimid ...
and beatings, and deprivation of medical attention by Israeli authorities. On 19 January 2024, Ajith Sunghay, a UN human rights official stated, "There are reports of men who are subsequently released but only in diapers without any adequate clothing in this cold weather." The
Ministry of Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs The Ministry of Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs is a government agency responsible for the welfare and well-being of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails and their families. It was established in 1998 as part of the Palestinian Authority und ...
stated on 25 January that the Negev prison was an "unbearable hell", with a prisoners going without food, water, electricity, or medical treatment. The Ministry of Detainees reported on 6 February that detainees were not provided blankets or warm clothes even as temperatures dropped in the winter.
Physicians for Human Rights–Israel Physicians for Human Rights–Israel (PHR-I or PHR-IL; ) is a non-governmental, non-profit, human rights organization based in Jaffa. Physicians for Human Rights–Israel was founded in 1988 with the goal of promoting "a just society where the ...
reported instances of Israeli medics refusing to treat Palestinian prisoners detained from Gaza. The Ministry of Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs reported that conditions in the Etzion detention centre were harsh, including insufficient food or medical care. In May 2024, the Palestinian Prisoners Society stated that infectious skin diseases, including
scabies Scabies (; also sometimes known as the seven-year itch) is a contagious human skin infestation by the tiny (0.2–0.45 mm) mite ''Sarcoptes scabiei'', variety ''hominis''. The word is from . The most common symptoms are severe itchiness a ...
, were spreading amongst Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails. In June 2024, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir stated food reductions for Palestinian prisoners was a "deterrent measure".


News reports and allegations by detainees

NBC News NBC News is the news division of the American broadcast television network NBC. The division operates under NBCUniversal Media Group, a division of NBCUniversal, which is itself a subsidiary of Comcast. The news division's various operations r ...
and ''The'' ''Times of Israel'' reported on several videos depicting Israeli troops (apparently IDF) "abusing bound and blindfolded Palestinian detainees"; the IDF issued a series of statements in response, condemning the abuse as "deplorable" and stating that the incident was under investigation. One video depicts soldiers kicking a bound man, verbally abusing him in Arabic and Hebrew, and spitting on him; another video shows Israeli soldiers brutalizing partially and completely naked Palestinian detainees. As of November 1, one soldier was dismissed from reserve service as a consequence. Palestinian detainees have stated that they were "subjected to severe abuse and beatings" in Israeli detention, including during their transfer to court or the rooms for remotely attending hearings. According to Reuters, detainees reported being threatened with
rape Rape is a type of sexual assault involving sexual intercourse, or other forms of sexual penetration, carried out against a person without consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority, or against a person ...
by guards. ''Haaretz'' has reported on allegations of "inhumane treatment" of prisoners and detainees at
Megiddo Prison Megiddo Prison is an Israeli prison facility located near the Megiddo Junction. It has gained notoriety for reports of abuse and torture against Palestinian prisoners. The prison itself was built over the ruins of the Jewish village of Othna ...
, including "several cases of harsh violence and abuse carried out by prison wardens, included guards kicking, punching, hitting their testicles, and humiliating prisoners." ''
Snopes ''Snopes'' (), formerly known as the ''Urban Legends Reference Pages'', is a fact-checking website. It has been described as a "well-regarded reference for sorting out myths and rumors" on the Internet. The site has also been seen as a source ...
'' confirmed that detained Gazan workers were forced to wear plastic ID tags around their wrists and ankles. In a written statement obtained by ''Al Jazeera'', one of the detainees arrested on October 8 told HaMoked that he was "kept in a 'cage' without a roof, under the sun and without food, water or access to the toilet for three days." Another detainee, a cleaner in his 60s, spoke to ''The Independent'' on the condition of anonymity, describing "humiliating" treatment, including being blindfolded with his hands and feet tied, while Israeli authorities called the detainees "Hamas" and "terrorists". He described beatings and the refusal of authorities to provide medication, food, and water to detainees, including the elderly and those with diabetes. In May 2024, CNN reported that Israeli whistleblowers reported about the conditions of Palestinians held in a converted military base in the
Negev desert The Negev ( ; ) or Naqab (), is a desert and semidesert region of southern Israel. The region's largest city and administrative capital is Beersheba (pop. ), in the north. At its southern end is the Gulf of Aqaba and the resort town, resort city ...
, along with photographs of the prisoners. In their report the whistleblowers stated the men were forced to sit upright and not allowed to move or talk, and guards were instructed to pick out "problematic" prisoners and punish them. They also alleged that the camp was set up into two parts, enclosures that held about 70 prisoners who are placed under extreme physical restraint and a field hospital were wounded prisoners were strapped to their bed, and forced to wear diapers and fed through straws. Noah Bseso, a 17-year-old prisoner released as part of the November prisoner exchange, described a "dark turn" in conditions of detention after October 7. Bseso told ''
The Washington Post ''The Washington Post'', locally known as ''The'' ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'' or ''WP'', is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C., the national capital. It is the most widely circulated newspaper in the Washington m ...
'' that rations had been cut: "Food was sometimes nothing more than bread, and not much of that," while water was "sometimes cut entirely." Before-and-after images released by the Palestinian Prisoners' Society went viral, showing the weight loss of a released 30-year-old man. One released man from
Shuja'iyya Shuja'iyya (), also ''Shejaiya'', ''Shijaiyeh'', ''Shujayya'', ''Shuja'ia'', ''Shuja'iya'', is the southern quarter of Old City of Gaza, and the only quarter of the Old City located outside the historical city walls. It is one of the largest neig ...
,
Gaza City Gaza City, also called Gaza, is a city in the Gaza Strip, Palestine, and the capital of the Gaza Governorate. Located on the Mediterranean coast, southwest of Jerusalem, it was home to Port of Gaza, Palestine's only port. With a population of ...
reported beatings, stating that a female Israeli soldier would beat a 72-year-old man. Another stated soldiers forced detainees to bark like dogs. Another twenty-year-old man detained in the West Bank stated that he was blindfolded, beaten, burned with a cigarette, and treated "like an animal". Three brothers detained from the Gaza Strip described similar treatment in Israel prison, stating they were beaten, stripped to their underwear, and burnt with cigarettes. One released man stated, "They let dogs urinate on us and shoved sand on us. They threatened to shoot us." Others described both physical and psychological torture. Five men reported being
torture Torture is the deliberate infliction of severe pain or suffering on a person for reasons including corporal punishment, punishment, forced confession, extracting a confession, interrogational torture, interrogation for information, or intimid ...
d over ten hours, including being beaten and submerged in cold water. One man stated that Palestinian prisoners were being "tortured relentlessly". He stated the detainees had been starved for three days. A 70-year-old man stated he had been forced to kneel for hours and beaten by Israeli soldiers when he told them he didn't know anything about tunnels. In February 2024, a doctor stated he had been "detained from inside the hospital and I remained in Israeli prison for 45 days under severe torture and starvation. I did not commit any crime. My weapons are my pen, notebook and stethoscope. I did not leave the hospital, I was treating children inside." In April 2024, a man held for six months stated, "The amount of food we would get in prison was not enough. It was merely enough to keep us from dying".


Incommunicado detention of militants

On October 25, the ACRI appealed to the Chief Military Prosecutor and the State Prosecutor for assurances that the families of captured militants would be notified of their detention. The ACRI alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity by Hamas fighters during the October 7 invasion, and thus acknowledged a clear "legal basis to detain any Gaza Strip militant captured" in Israel since October 7 for security and investigative purposes, but noted Israel's "obligation to inform someone close to them about their arrest—both according to
Israeli law Israeli law is based mostly on a common law legal system, though it also reflects the diverse history of the territory of the State of Israel throughout the last hundred years (which was at various times prior to independence under Ottoman, t ...
and international law." The letter urged Israeli authorities to refrain from adopting the "standards of Hamas", referring to the capture of Israeli civilians. The letter refers to Israel's ''Criminal Procedure Law'', Article 106 of the
Fourth Geneva Convention The Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War (), more commonly referred to as the Fourth Geneva Convention and abbreviated as GCIV, is one of the four treaties of the Geneva Conventions. It was adopted in August 1 ...
, and the 1989 High Court decision in ''Uda v. Commander of the IDF forces in the Judea and Samaria region''.


Deaths in custody

''The'' ''Globe and Mail'' reported on the death of two Palestinian detainees, Arafat Hamdan and Omar Daraghmeh. In the case of Hamdan, a 25-year-old house painter with
diabetes Diabetes mellitus, commonly known as diabetes, is a group of common endocrine diseases characterized by sustained high blood sugar levels. Diabetes is due to either the pancreas not producing enough of the hormone insulin, or the cells of th ...
and heart disease, Israeli soldiers reportedly entered his home, hooded him, and took him away. Hamdan reportedly died 48 hours later, having not received necessary medication. On December 19, ''
Haaretz ''Haaretz'' (; originally ''Ḥadshot Haaretz'' – , , ) is an List of newspapers in Israel, Israeli newspaper. It was founded in 1918, making it the longest running newspaper currently in print in Israel. The paper is published in Hebrew lan ...
'' reported hundreds of arrested Palestinians from Gaza were being held at Sde Teiman base near
Be'er Sheva Beersheba ( / ; ), officially Be'er-Sheva, is the largest city in the Negev desert of southern Israel. Often referred to as the "Capital of the Negev", it is the centre of the fourth-most populous metropolitan area in Israel, the eighth-most po ...
, in southern Israel, and that a number had died. Children and the elderly are among the detainees. ''Haaretz'' reported that the detainees were blindfolded and handcuffed for most of the day. Speaking to AFP, an IDF spokesperson described the deceased detainees as "terrorists", without further elaboration, and stated their deaths were "under investigation." The IDF did not provide any information regarding the number or circumstances of deaths. On 2 January, the IDF reported the death of 23-year-old Abdul Rahman al-Bahsh who had been imprisoned since May 2023. It was reported in April 2024 that there had been at least eight deaths of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails since the 7 October attack, with the jails refusing to release the bodies of the deceased. In May 2024, Adnan al-Bursh, the head of orthopedics at
Al-Shifa Hospital Al-Shifa Hospital ( ''Mustašfā aš-Šifāʾ'' ) was the largest medical complex and central hospital in the Gaza Strip, Palestine, located in the neighborhood of northern Rimal in Gaza City. The hospital was first established by the govern ...
, died in an Israeli prison after four months in detention. Two Palestinian prisoners associations stated that at least eighteen Palestinians prisoners had died in Israeli custody since the start of the war. An internal investigation found Israeli soldiers had beaten two Palestinian detainees in the Sde Teiman detention camp to death. In June 2024, Adalah stated military orders were being used to "detain the bodies of Palestinian citizens for political purposes". Iyad al-Rantisi, the head of Kamal Adwan Hospital's women’s section, died under
Shin Bet The Israel Security Agency (ISA; , (GSS); ), better known by the Hebrew acronyms, acronyms Shabak (; ; ) or Shin Bet (from the abbreviation of , "Security Service"), is Israel's internal Security agency, security service. Its motto is "''Magen ...
interrogation six days after he was detained. In August 2024, the Palestinian Commission of Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs stated that Wafaa Jarrar had died from serious injuries sustained while detained in Israeli prison.


Death of Omar Daraghmeh

On October 23, 2023, Omar Daraghmeh, a
Hamas The Islamic Resistance Movement, abbreviated Hamas (the Arabic acronym from ), is a Palestinian nationalist Sunni Islam, Sunni Islamism, Islamist political organisation with a military wing, the Qassam Brigades. It has Gaza Strip under Hama ...
official in his late 50s, from the city of
Tubas Tubas is the plural of tuba. It can also refer to: * Tubas (city) in Palestine * Tubas Governorate in Palestine Palestine, officially the State of Palestine, is a country in West Asia. Recognized by International recognition of Palestine, ...
in the northern
West Bank The West Bank is located on the western bank of the Jordan River and is the larger of the two Palestinian territories (the other being the Gaza Strip) that make up the State of Palestine. A landlocked territory near the coast of the Mediter ...
, died in custody in the Israeli
Megiddo Prison Megiddo Prison is an Israeli prison facility located near the Megiddo Junction. It has gained notoriety for reports of abuse and torture against Palestinian prisoners. The prison itself was built over the ruins of the Jewish village of Othna ...
. He had been arrested by Israeli forces along with his son in the West Bank on October 9. Hamas called the death of the Daraghmeh in custody an assassination and accused the prison service of
torture Torture is the deliberate infliction of severe pain or suffering on a person for reasons including corporal punishment, punishment, forced confession, extracting a confession, interrogational torture, interrogation for information, or intimid ...
. The Prisoners and Ex-Prisoners' Affairs Authority and the Palestinian Prisoners Society said in a joint statement that Daragmeh had been placed under
administrative detention Administrative detention is arrest and detention of individuals by the state without trial. A number of jurisdictions claim that it is done for security reasons. Many countries claim to use administrative detention as a means to combat terrorism ...
—detention without charge or trial—for a period of six months, based on evidence contained in a "secret file". In court sessions before the Ofer Military Court, Daraghmeh had told his lawyer, Ashraf Abu Sneineh, that he was in good health. Hundreds of Palestinians protested in Tubas in reaction to news of Daraghmeh's death.


Death of Walid Ahmad

In April 2025, it was announced that Walid Ahmad a teenager who had been held in the Megiddo prison for six months had died in Israeli custody, becoming the first minor to die in Israeli custody. Ahamd had been reportedly arrested in the West Bank after reportedly throwing stones at soldiers after the October 7 attacks, and had been brought to court multiple times without a trial date set or allowed contact with his lawyer. He had collapsed in a prison yard on March 23 and struck his head before dying shortly after according to eye witness accounts from fellow prisoners, who also raised claims of inaction by prison authorities. Ahmad's family reported that he had been a healthy teenager prior to his arrest and raised concerns that he had contracted
amoebic dysentery Amoebiasis, or amoebic dysentery, is an infection of the intestines caused by a parasitic amoeba '' Entamoeba histolytica''. Amoebiasis can be present with no, mild, or severe symptoms. Symptoms may include lethargy, loss of weight, coloni ...
due to reports from other prisoners, and had suffered also from
scabies Scabies (; also sometimes known as the seven-year itch) is a contagious human skin infestation by the tiny (0.2–0.45 mm) mite ''Sarcoptes scabiei'', variety ''hominis''. The word is from . The most common symptoms are severe itchiness a ...
. It was later published that the autopsy of Ahmad also raised concerns of starvation, and severe medical neglect due to severe muscle and fat loss and the presence of
colitis Colitis is swelling or inflammation Inflammation (from ) is part of the biological response of body tissues to harmful stimuli, such as pathogens, damaged cells, or irritants. The five cardinal signs are heat, pain, redness, swelling, and ...
and scabies.


Prominent detainees


Artists, activists, and entertainers


Ahed Tamimi

On November 6, reports emerged that Israeli authorities had arrested prominent Palestinian activist
Ahed Tamimi Ahed Tamimi (, also romanized ''Ahd''; born 31 January 2001) is a Palestinian activist from the village of Nabi Salih in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Best known for appearances in photos and videos in which she confronts Israeli soldiers, ...
, during a wave of overnight raids and arrests on November 5–6 in which 70 Palestinians were detained. According to an IDF spokesperson, Tamimi was arrested on suspicion of "inciting violence and calling for terrorist activity to be carried out". The arrest followed Israeli media reports of a post on
Instagram Instagram is an American photo sharing, photo and Short-form content, short-form video sharing social networking service owned by Meta Platforms. It allows users to upload media that can be edited with Social media camera filter, filters, be ...
purported to belong to her that called for a violent massacre of Israeli settlers in the West Bank, referencing
Adolf Hitler Adolf Hitler (20 April 1889 – 30 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was the dictator of Nazi Germany from 1933 until Death of Adolf Hitler, his suicide in 1945. Adolf Hitler's rise to power, He rose to power as the lea ...
, although her family denies she authored the post, stating that her Instagram has been hacked before and that she is frequently impersonated online. Her father had been arrested by Israeli forces one week prior, and is being held in an undisclosed location.
PEN International PEN International (known as International PEN until 2010) is a worldwide professional association, association of writers, founded in London in 1921 to promote friendship and intellectual co-operation among writers everywhere. The association ...
, an NGO that advocates for
freedom of expression Freedom of speech is a principle that supports the freedom of an individual or a community to articulate their opinions and ideas without fear of retaliation, censorship, or legal sanction. The rights, right to freedom of expression has been r ...
, confirmed that Tamimi was being held at Damon Prison, near
Haifa Haifa ( ; , ; ) is the List of cities in Israel, third-largest city in Israel—after Jerusalem and Tel Aviv—with a population of in . The city of Haifa forms part of the Haifa metropolitan area, the third-most populous metropolitan area i ...
, and called on Israel to release her immediately. As of November 27, Tamimi was being held incommunicado and without charge or trial; Israel had taken steps to transfer her to indefinite administrative detention. She and her lawyer had been unable to review the evidence against her. On November 29, Tamimi was
released Released may refer to: * Released (Jade Warrior album), ''Released'' (Jade Warrior album), 1971 * Released (Patti LaBelle album), ''Released'' (Patti LaBelle album), 1980 * ''Released: 1985–1995'', an album by Kronos Quartet, 1995 * ''Released'' ...
under the temporary ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.


Mosab Abu Toha

Mosab Abu Toha, a celebrated Palestinian poet, was arrested at gunpoint while attempting to evacuate with his family. Abu Toha, whose son is an American citizen, was told by American officials that they would be able to cross into Egypt through the
Rafah Border Crossing The Rafah Border Crossing () or Rafah Crossing Point is the sole crossing point between Egypt and Palestine's Gaza Strip. The Rafah crossing was opened by Israel after the Egypt–Israel peace treaty, 1979 peace treaty and remained under Isra ...
. According to Diana Buttu, a Palestinian-Canadian lawyer working with his family, Abu Toha had been sent for by the US embassy. Conveying an account from Abu Toha's wife, Buttu told ''Time'': "He was forced to put his son down... They were all forced to walk with their hands raised in the air. He raised his arms in the air … nd he andaround 200 others were taken out of this line and abducted. They have not heard from him since." Abu Toha was a contributor to ''
The New Yorker ''The New Yorker'' is an American magazine featuring journalism, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons, and poetry. It was founded on February 21, 1925, by Harold Ross and his wife Jane Grant, a reporter for ''The New York T ...
'', which reported on November 20 that his whereabouts were unknown. ''
Literary Hub ''Literary Hub'' or ''LitHub'' is a daily literary website that was launched in 2015 by Grove Atlantic president and publisher Morgan Entrekin, American Society of Magazine Editors Hall of Fame editor Terry McDonell, and '' Electric Literatur ...
'' referred to his detention as a
kidnapping Kidnapping or abduction is the unlawful abduction and confinement of a person against their will, and is a crime in many jurisdictions. Kidnapping may be accomplished by use of force or fear, or a victim may be enticed into confinement by frau ...
by the IDF. On November 21, ''
Democracy Now! ''Democracy Now!'' is an hour-long TV, radio, and Internet news program based in Manhattan and hosted by journalists Amy Goodman (who also acts as the show's executive producer), Juan González, and Nermeen Shaikh. The show, which airs live ...
'' reported that Abu Toha had been released after being taken to an Israeli prison in the
Negev The Negev ( ; ) or Naqab (), is a desert and semidesert region of southern Israel. The region's largest city and administrative capital is Beersheba (pop. ), in the north. At its southern end is the Gulf of Aqaba and the resort town, resort city ...
and beaten, according to a statement from Buttu. The Israeli Defense Forces issued a statement acknowledging that they detained a group of people, including Abu Toha, for interrogation following intelligence reports suggesting engagements with terrorist groups. The IDF confirmed that Abu Toha was set free subsequent to the interrogation.


Mohand Taha

Mohand Taha, a
stand-up comedian Stand-up comedy is a performance directed to a live audience, where the performer stands on a stage and delivers humorous and satirical monologues sometimes incorporating physical acts. These performances are typically composed of rehear ...
and
influencer A social media influencer, or simply influencer (also known as an online influencer), is a person who builds a grassroots online presence through engaging content such as photos, videos, and updates. This is done by using direct audience intera ...
from
Lower Galilee The Lower Galilee (; ) is a region within the Northern District of Israel. The Lower Galilee is bordered by the Jezreel Valley to the south; the Upper Galilee to the north, from which it is separated by the Beit HaKerem Valley; the Jordan Rift ...
, spoke to ''Haaretz'' in relation to his arrest by "20 police officers" after posting an
Instagram Instagram is an American photo sharing, photo and Short-form content, short-form video sharing social networking service owned by Meta Platforms. It allows users to upload media that can be edited with Social media camera filter, filters, be ...
story in solidarity with Gaza residents. He stated that authorities wanted to transfer him to
Megiddo Prison Megiddo Prison is an Israeli prison facility located near the Megiddo Junction. It has gained notoriety for reports of abuse and torture against Palestinian prisoners. The prison itself was built over the ruins of the Jewish village of Othna ...
, but that he was released from custody after two days following interventions by his lawyer.


Diala Ayesh

28-year-old human rights attorney Diala Ayesh was arrested at a checkpoint near
Bethlehem Bethlehem is a city in the West Bank, Palestine, located about south of Jerusalem, and the capital of the Bethlehem Governorate. It had a population of people, as of . The city's economy is strongly linked to Tourism in the State of Palesti ...
and placed under administrative detention, meaning she can be incarcerated for a period of four months without trial or charge.


Mahmoud Almadhoun

In December 2023, Mahmoud Almadhoun was detained by the IDF. After his brother, Hani, recognized him in photos of blindfolded Palestinian men held by the IDF and spoke about him in the US media, he was released. In an op-ed for the ''
The Washington Post ''The Washington Post'', locally known as ''The'' ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'' or ''WP'', is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C., the national capital. It is the most widely circulated newspaper in the Washington m ...
'', Mahmoud recounted being "stripped to my underwear and paraded with other blindfolded men in the cold like circus animals" and wrote that none of the detained men were militants. He told
PBS The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is an American public broadcaster and non-commercial, free-to-air television network based in Arlington, Virginia. PBS is a publicly funded nonprofit organization and the most prominent provider of educat ...
that the experience inspired him to help others; he later founded the
Gaza Soup Kitchen Gaza Soup Kitchen is a grassroots organization that was established in Beit Lahia, Gaza, to provide food for Palestinians at risk of famine during the Gaza war. Founded in early 2024 by brothers Hani and Mahmoud Almadhoun, Mahmoud coordinated ...
with Hani.


Politicians


Arab-Israeli politicians

On November 9, four Arab-Israeli former lawmakers were detained.
Mohammad Barakeh Mohammad Barakeh (, ; born 29 July 1955) is an Israeli Arab politician. A former leader of Hadash, he served as a member of the Knesset for the party between 1999 and 2015. He is currently the head of the High Follow-Up Committee for Arab Citize ...
, chairman of the Higher Arab Monitoring Committee and a former
Knesset The Knesset ( , ) is the Unicameralism, unicameral legislature of Israel. The Knesset passes all laws, elects the President of Israel, president and Prime Minister of Israel, prime minister, approves the Cabinet of Israel, cabinet, and supe ...
member from the
Hadash Hadash is a left-wing to far-left political coalition in Israel formed by the Israeli Communist Party and other leftist groups. History The party was formed on 15 March 1977 when the Rakah and Non-Partisans parliamentary group changed its ...
party, was detained for questioning, followed by three former Knesset members from the Balad party:
Haneen Zoabi Haneen Zoabi (, ; born 23 May 1969), is a Palestinian-Israeli politician. The first Arab woman to be elected to the legislature on an Arab party's list, she served as a member of the Knesset for the Balad party between 2009 and 2019. In 202 ...
,
Sami Abu Shehadeh Sami Abu Shehadeh (, ) is a Palestinian Israeli politician. He is the leader of Balad, and served as a member of the Knesset for the Joint List from 2019 to 2022. Biography Abu Shehadeh was born in Lod to a Muslim family and raised in Jaffa. ...
, and Mtanes Shehadeh. Balad director general Yousef Tatur was also detained. Tatur and the former lawmakers were accused of planning a protest in
Nazareth Nazareth is the largest Cities in Israel, city in the Northern District (Israel), Northern District of Israel. In its population was . Known as "the Arab capital of Israel", Nazareth serves as a cultural, political, religious, economic and ...
, with an expected attendance of around 50 people or fewer. Israeli authorities alleged that the demonstration was "liable to lead to incitement and harm public peace, in violation of police directives"; the ACRI described the detentions as "a new and dangerous expression of the government's unrestrained scathing attack on Arab society in general and its leadership in particular." Zoabi spent more than seven hours at the Migdal HaEmek police station, in
Galilee Galilee (; ; ; ) is a region located in northern Israel and southern Lebanon consisting of two parts: the Upper Galilee (, ; , ) and the Lower Galilee (, ; , ). ''Galilee'' encompasses the area north of the Mount Carmel-Mount Gilboa ridge and ...
, although she states that the interrogation lasted only 15 minutes.


Khalida Jarrar

Khalida Jarrar Khalida Jarrar (; born 9 February 1963) is a Palestinian politician.David Hearst,INTERVIEW: Palestinian lawmaker Khalida Jarrar,' Middle East Eye 2 April 2015 She is a member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) and the Pa ...
, a Palestinian politician affiliated with the
Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP; ) is a secular Palestinian Marxist–Leninist organization founded in 1967 by George Habash. It has consistently been the second-largest of the groups forming the Palestine Liberation ...
(PFLP) was arrested in her home on December 26. Jarrar, who was elected to the
Legislative Council A legislative council is the legislature, or one of the legislative chambers, of a nation, colony, or subnational division such as a province or state. It was commonly used to label unicameral or upper house legislative bodies in the Brit ...
following the
2006 Palestinian legislative election Legislative elections were held in the Palestinian territories on 25 January 2006 in order to elect the second Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC), the legislature of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA). The result was a victory for Hama ...
, had been previously arrested by Israel. Other leaders of the PFLP were arrested on the same date, in what the group described as a "vast campaign" to arrest its leaders in the occupied West Bank. On 10 January 2024, Jarrar's daughter stated Jarrar had been sentenced to six months in prison with the possibility of indefinite detention. At the end of August 2024, Jarrar was ordered to another six months in detention, despite no trial nor even charges filed against her.


Journalists

The
Committee to Protect Journalists The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) is an American 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in New York City, with correspondents around the world. CPJ promotes press freedom and defends the rights of journalists. The '' American Journalism ...
reported that nine Palestinian journalists had been arrested or detained as of November 6. By December 5, the number had risen to 19. On December 7, CJP reported the arrest of journalist Diaa Al-Kahlout and his family members in northern Gaza. On 10 January 2024,
Reporters Without Borders Reporters Without Borders (RWB; ; RSF) is an international non-profit and non-governmental organisation, non-governmental organization headquartered in Paris, which focuses on safeguarding the right to freedom of information. It describes its a ...
stated at least 31 Palestinian journalists were being held in Israeli prisons, mostly without any charges. By 19 March 2024, around 60 journalists from the West Bank had been detained by Israeli forces since 7 October, with at least 40 remaining in detention.


Ismail al-Ghoul

On 18 March 2024, Al Jazeera journalist
Ismail al-Ghoul In the Bible, biblical Book of Genesis, Ishmael (; ; ; ) is the first son of Abraham. His mother was Hagar, the handmaiden of Abraham's wife Sarah. He died at the age of 137. Traditionally, he is seen as the ancestor of the Arabs. Within Isla ...
was blindfolded and handcuffed for 12 hours after being arrested by Israeli forces during a raid at
Al-Shifa Hospital Al-Shifa Hospital ( ''Mustašfā aš-Šifāʾ'' ) was the largest medical complex and central hospital in the Gaza Strip, Palestine, located in the neighborhood of northern Rimal in Gaza City. The hospital was first established by the govern ...
. Israel destroyed his broadcast vehicle, cameras, and equipment. Imad Zaqqout, a Palestinian journalist, stated that al-Ghoul was beaten severely before being detained. In response to al-Ghoul's arrest, Reporters Without Borders demanded his release. Committee to Protect Journalists condemned his arrest and stated it appeared like a deliberate attempt to prevent the media from documenting Israel's hospital raid. The
International Press Institute International Press Institute (IPI) is a global organisation dedicated to the promotion and protection of press freedom and the improvement of journalism practices. The institution was founded by 34 editors from 15 countries at Columbia Universit ...
stated it was deeply alarmed by al-Ghoul's arrest and called for his immediate release. According to Al Jazeera, the arrest of al-Ghoul was part of a pattern of targeting Al Jazeera journalists, including
Samer Abu Daqqa Samer Abu Daqqa (; – 15 December 2023) was a Belgian-Palestinian video journalist working for Al Jazeera. He was killed during the Gaza war after the Israeli army bombed an Al Jazeera crew in Khan Yunis on 15 December 2023, while he was cove ...
and Hamza Dahdouh, who were both killed. The deputy chair of the Palestinian Journalists' Syndicate stated that Israeli forces were "intimidating journalists by showing that anyone who speaks out will be their next target". Upon his release, Al-Ghoul stated, "We were left in the room we were kept in, where we stayed for several hours, in cold conditions, naked and blindfolded." On 31 July 2024, Al-Ghoul would be killed by an Israeli rocket attack.


Medical professionals


Ahmed Kahlout

Ahmed Kahlout, the director of Kamal Adwan hospital in the northern Gaza Strip, was detained by Israeli forces in the aftermath of the Kamal Adwan Hospital siege in December 2023. After interrogation by the
Shin Bet The Israel Security Agency (ISA; , (GSS); ), better known by the Hebrew acronyms, acronyms Shabak (; ; ) or Shin Bet (from the abbreviation of , "Security Service"), is Israel's internal Security agency, security service. Its motto is "''Magen ...
, Kahlout confessed that the hospital was used as a military operations center by Hamas and that he was a member of Hamas. The
Gaza Health Ministry The Gaza Health Ministry (GHM), officially the Palestinian Ministry of Health – Gaza, is responsible for managing healthcare and medical services in the Gaza Strip. The health ministry's casualty reports have received significant attention d ...
said that "Kahlout's confessions were extracted under the use of force, coercion, torture and intimidation."


Other


Musab Qatawi

Qatawi spent three years in Israeli detention. Qatawi was being held at the Nafha Prison, where he says he and his cellmates were beaten daily by guards. He said: “We were severely beaten… They insulted us a lot, stepped on us, used dogs against us. It was very hard.” He also noted a “lack of food, lack of hygiene, diseases”, calling on Palestinian and international organisations to protect detainees, saying their situation is “more than dangerous”. Before his release on 10 April 2025, Israeli prison guards shoved his head into a rubbish bin and shaved part of his hair, drawing the
Star of David The Star of David (, , ) is a symbol generally recognized as representing both Jewish identity and Judaism. Its shape is that of a hexagram: the compound of two equilateral triangles. A derivation of the Seal of Solomon was used for decora ...
onto his head.


Orwah Sheikh Ali

A Palestinian man from Shu'fat refugee camp was beaten up by Israeli police and was then arrested. He was allegedly suspected by Israeli police of drug trafficking offences. 16 police officers were present at the arrest, but "none of their body cameras were working". In court, the man said police beat him with fists “on all parts of his body and covered his face with a cloth strip” before branding a
Star of David The Star of David (, , ) is a symbol generally recognized as representing both Jewish identity and Judaism. Its shape is that of a hexagram: the compound of two equilateral triangles. A derivation of the Seal of Solomon was used for decora ...
onto his cheek. He later added that the police had also placed a plastic bag over his head. Vadim Shub, the public defender of the Jerusalem district, later stated: “As a law-abiding country, we must not put up with the phenomenon of police violence. In this case, the nature of the injuries raises a strong suspicion of attempted humiliation on a racial basis.” The man was later named as Orwah Sheikh Ali. His lawyer said he denied all charges he was a drug dealer. Sheikh Ali was held in detention for four days before he was released by order of judge Adi Bar Tal. Sheikh Ali had not been allowed to be examined by a physician despite a ruling mandating this being issued. Police claimed that the marks happened when an officer pressed the laced-up part of their boot against the suspect’s face while they subdued him.


Interrogations of detainees

Numerous Palestinian detainees have reported
torture Torture is the deliberate infliction of severe pain or suffering on a person for reasons including corporal punishment, punishment, forced confession, extracting a confession, interrogational torture, interrogation for information, or intimid ...
during interrogations by Israeli forces, which has raised significant alarm among international human rights groups such as Amnesty International. One detainee told Amnesty International that Israeli interrogators beat him severely, resulting in three broken ribs, and ordered Palestinian detainees to "praise Israel and curse Hamas". A Gazan worker detained in Israel stated that he and other detainees had been tortured for several days using an "electrical chair", as part of an interrogation by Israeli authorities. Dr. Shai Gortler, who studies incarceration and torture, stated that Shin Bet allows media exposure "to put forward its own narrative about its actions, torture included", among other reasons. The IDF has alleged that interrogations of detainees captured in Israel following the October 7 attack revealed that Hamas commanders, who also held religious authority, had sanctioned targeting civilians, including children, women, and the elderly. The IDF characterized the evidence obtained through these interrogations as revealing a premeditated plan to inflict maximum civilian casualties. NBC News notes that it is unclear whether the men depicted were speaking under
duress Coercion involves compelling a party to act in an involuntary manner through the use of threats, including threats to use force against that party. It involves a set of forceful actions which violate the free will of an individual in order to i ...
in videos released by Israeli authorities. The interrogation sessions were held over four weeks, mainly in a southern Israeli prison, and concluded in early November. The IDF alleged that interrogated militants revealed tactics related to the placement of their tunnels and munitions in Gaza neighbourhoods.


Analysis

In a report to the
United Nations General Assembly The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA or GA; , AGNU or AG) is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations (UN), serving as its main deliberative, policymaking, and representative organ. Currently in its Seventy-ninth session of th ...
on 24 October 2023,
Francesca Albanese Francesca P. Albanese (; born 30 March 1977) is an Italian legal scholar and expert on human rights. On 1 May 2022, she was appointed United Nations (UN) Special Rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories for a three-year term, which ...
, the UN Special Rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories, noted that the failure to notify parents of the whereabouts of their children following an arrest is a violation of the
Convention on the Rights of the Child The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (commonly abbreviated as the CRC or UNCRC) is an international international human rights treaty which sets out the civil, political, economic, social, health and cultural rights of ch ...
, and can be considered a forced disappearance.
Defense for Children International Defence for Children International (DCI) is an international non-governmental organisation (INGO) set up in 1979, during the International Year of the Child, to ensure on-going, practical, systematic and concerted international and national acti ...
reported in October 2024 that the rate of childhood administrative detention was the highest since it began keeping records. Albanese further noted that transferring civilian populations from occupied territories (i.e. from the West Bank to prisons in Israel) is a war crime. Israeli authorities and media outlets have justified the mass detentions as a
counterterrorism Counterterrorism (alternatively spelled: counter-terrorism), also known as anti-terrorism, relates to the practices, military tactics, techniques, and strategies that governments, law enforcement, businesses, and Intelligence agency, intelligence ...
measure or a response to violence. ''The Times of Israel'' has sent reporters to join IDF reservist battalions during overnight raids in the West Bank, describing the arrests as quelling a potential
front Front may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''The Front'' (1943 film), a 1943 Soviet drama film * '' The Front'', 1976 film Music * The Front (band), an American rock band signed to Columbia Records and active in the 1980s and ...
in the ongoing war. The IDF stated it had arrested 2,000 West Bank Palestinians as of November 29, including 1,100 it alleged were affiliated with Hamas. Reuters notes that prisons are overseen by Israel's far-right Minister of National Security,
Itamar Ben-Gvir Itamar Ben-Gvir ( ; born 6 May 1976) is an Israeli far-right politician and lawyer who is serving as the Minister of National Security since 2025. He is the leader of Otzma Yehudit ('Jewish Power'), a Kahanist and anti-Arab party that won ...
, "who has long advocated for a crackdown on Palestinian prisoners", and has expressed support for a bill providing for the
execution Capital punishment, also known as the death penalty and formerly called judicial homicide, is the state-sanctioned killing of a person as punishment for actual or supposed misconduct. The sentence ordering that an offender be punished in ...
of militants. Legal analysts and former Israeli police stated Ben-Gvir was weaponizing the national police force to serve his extreme ultranationalist political agenda. Several of the human rights organizations listed above describe the revocation of work permits and the detention of Palestinian workers as a form of retaliation by Israel for the October 7 attack by Hamas and the capture of Israeli citizens by Palestinian armed groups. Al Jazeera referred to social media commentary comparing the reported abuse to the
Abu Ghraib torture and prisoner abuse During the early stages of the Iraq War, members of the United States Army and the Central Intelligence Agency were accused of a series of human rights violations and war crimes against detainees in the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq. These abuses ...
scandal. In April 2024,
Addameer Addameer (), officially Addameer Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association (), is a Palestinian NGO based in Ramallah. Addameer monitors the treatment of Palestinian prisoners arrested in the West Bank by Israel and the Palestinian Author ...
stated, "Surveillance on social media targets anyone showing sympathy with Gaza, which is considered incitement for violence or as support for a 'terrorist organisation'". In June 2024, Israeli lawmakers approved a bill which would reserve administrative detention for non-Jews only.


Reactions


International

Russian Permanent Representative to the United Nations
Vasily Nebenzya Vasily Alekseyevich Nebenzya (; born 26 February 1962) is a Russian diplomat and the current Permanent Representative of Russia to the United Nations. His official title is Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary. Life and career Nebenzya ...
stated that the situation in the West Bank deserved close scrutiny by the
Security Council The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations (UN) and is charged with ensuring international peace and security, recommending the admission of new UN members to the General Assembly, an ...
, specifically citing "arbitrary arrests" by Israel.
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) is a department of the United Nations Secretariat that works to promote and protect human rights that are guaranteed under international law and stipulated in the Univers ...
Volker Türk Volker Türk (born 27 August 1965) is an Austrian lawyer and United Nations official. He has been the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights since October 2022. Career Early years In 1991, Türk became a UN Junior Professional Officer and ha ...
referred to daily "violence from Israeli forces and
settlers A settler or a colonist is a person who establishes or joins a permanent presence that is separate to existing communities. The entity that a settler establishes is a Human settlement, settlement. A settler is called a pioneer if they are among ...
, ill treatment, arrests, evictions, intimidation and humiliation" in the West Bank, and called on Israeli authorities to respect Palestinian rights. On December 1, the UN Human Rights Office expressed serious concern regarding the dramatic rise in arrests. In a statement, Türk called for "an end to practices of arbitrary detention by Israel". In response to a question posed at a meeting of
NATO The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO ; , OTAN), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental organization, intergovernmental Transnationalism, transnational military alliance of 32 Member states of NATO, member s ...
Ministers of Foreign Affairs on November 29,
Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs The Minister of Foreign Affairs () is the minister of the Crown in the Cabinet of Canada, Canadian Cabinet who is responsible for overseeing the Government of Canada, Government of Canada's international relations and is the lead minister respons ...
Mélanie Joly Mélanie Joly (; born January 16, 1979) is a Canadian politician and lawyer who has been serving as the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, Minister of Industry, Registrar General of Canada, and Minister responsible for the Economic D ...
stated that "arrestations icmust be done according to the rule of law and international law", while calling for condemnation of and an end to "violence".
Doctors Without Borders Doctor, Doctors, The Doctor or The Doctors may refer to: Titles and occupations * Physician, a medical practitioner * Doctor (title), an academic title for the holder of a doctoral-level degree ** Doctorate ** List of doctoral degrees awarded ...
stated it was "deeply concerned" about a staff member detained by the Israelis in Khan Younis, calling on the IDF to guarantee his "dignity and ensure his wellbeing". In April 2024, the Archbishop of Canterbury
Justin Welby Justin Portal Welby (born 6 January 1956) is an Anglican bishop who served as the 105th archbishop of Canterbury in the Church of England from 2013 to 2025. After an 11-year career in the oil industry, Welby trained for ordination at St John ...
criticized Israel's arrest of a Palestinian Christian woman.


In Israel and Palestine

In a meeting between Red Cross president
Mirjana Spoljaric Egger Mirjana Spoljaric Egger (; born 1972) is a Swiss-Croatian diplomat. Since October 2022, she has served as the President of the International Committee of the Red Cross. Education Egger studied philosophy, economics and international law at t ...
and
Qadura Fares Qadura Fares () is a Palestinian politician. He was a Palestinian Authority minister without portfolio under Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei from 2003 to 2005, and a member of the Palestinian Legislative Council for Fatah from 1996 to 2006. He is a cl ...
, the head of the
Ministry of Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs The Ministry of Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs is a government agency responsible for the welfare and well-being of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails and their families. It was established in 1998 as part of the Palestinian Authority und ...
, Fares requested for international intervention, stating Palestinian prisoners were "living the worst conditions" in history. Justices of the
Supreme Court of Israel The Supreme Court of Israel (, Hebrew acronym Bagatz; ) is the Supreme court, highest court in Israel. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all other courts, and in some cases original jurisdiction. The Supreme Court consists of 15 jud ...
stated they would tour Israeli prisons amidst reports of Palestinian prisoners' deaths and deteriorating prison conditions. Palestinian activist
Mustafa Barghouti Mustafa Barghouti ( ; born 1 January 1954) is a Palestinian physician, activist, and politician who serves as General Secretary of the Palestinian National Initiative (PNI), also known as al-Mubadara, and head of the Palestinian Medical Relie ...
stated more than a thousand Palestinian detainees were experiencing " brutal torture and severe beatings" in Israeli prisons. In December 2023, Minister of National Security Ben-Gvir stated he was replacing
Katy Perry Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson (born October 25, 1984), known professionally as Katy Perry, is an American singer, songwriter, and television personality. She is one of the List of best-selling music artists, best-selling music artists in hist ...
, the chief commissioner of the
Israel Prison Service The Israel Prison Service (, ''Sherut Batei HaSohar'', , ''Idārat al-Sujūn al-Isrā’īlīyyah''), known in Israel by its acronym Shabas () or IPS in English, is the state (polity), state agency responsible for overseeing prisons in Israel. It ...
, because she was too lax and not harsh enough. In March 2024, Netanyahu ordered the Israeli defence, national security, and finance ministers to prepare Israeli prisons for thousands of new Palestinian prisoners. The IDF military police launched criminal investigations in June 2024 into the death of 48 Palestinians during the war, most of whom were detainees. In June 2024 the Palestinian Legislative Council in Gaza demanded for an international inspection of Israeli detention centers after a number of released detainees, reportedly left the centers after months appearing frail and thin. The council raised allegations that the prisoners were subjected to starvation, isolation and torture.


See also

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Gaza war hostage crisis In 2023, as part of the October 7th attacks which initiated the Gaza war, Hamas and other Palestinian militant groups abducted 251 people from Israel to the Gaza Strip, including children, women, and elderly people. Almost half of the hostages ...
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Administrative detention Administrative detention is arrest and detention of individuals by the state without trial. A number of jurisdictions claim that it is done for security reasons. Many countries claim to use administrative detention as a means to combat terrorism ...
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Anti-Palestinianism during the Gaza war Following the Hamas attack on Israel on 7 October 2023 and the outbreak of the Gaza war, there has been a surge of anti-Palestinianism, anti-Arab racism, and Islamophobia. Palestinians have expressed concerns over increased anti-Palestinianism ...
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Cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment Cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment (CIDT) is treatment of persons which is contrary to human rights or dignity, but is not classified as torture. It is forbidden by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 3 of the European Convention ...
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Enforced disappearance An enforced disappearance (or forced disappearance) is the secret abduction or imprisonment of a person with the support or acquiescence of a State (polity), state followed by a refusal to acknowledge the person's fate or whereabouts with the i ...
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Confessions of detained Palestinians in the Gaza war During the Gaza war, the Israel Defense Forces released videos of detained Palestinians in which they confessed to committing various crimes. Israel has used these videos to promote its narrative of the war. Many news sources and human rights or ...
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Palestinian prisoners in Israel The future of Palestinians detained by Israel in the context of the Israeli–Palestinian conflict is considered central to progress in the Israeli–Palestinian peace process. Cases of prison sentences include the charges of terrorism or being a ...


Reports

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OHCHR The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) is a department of the United Nations Secretariat that works to promote and protect human rights that are guaranteed under international law and stipulated in the Univers ...
,
Detention in the context of the escalation of hostilities in Gaza
', 31 July 2024. * B'Tselem,
Welcome to Hell: The Israeli Prison System as a Network of Torture Camps
', 6 August 2024.


Notes


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mass detentions in the Gaza war Domestic reactions to the Gaza war Israeli war crimes in the Gaza war Palestinian prisoners and detainees Torture in the Israeli–Palestinian conflict 2023 in the Gaza Strip Anti-Palestinian sentiment in Israel Torture in Israel Reactions to the Israel–Hamas war