Factsheet Issued by Addameer Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association

The Situation of Palestinian Women and Men Prisoners and First-Hand Testimonies

The Genocidal War and the Escalation of the Repressive System against Palestinian Prisoners and Women Prisoners

Since the beginning of the genocidal war waged by the occupying State against the Palestinian people in all places of their presence on 7 October 2023, the issue of Palestinian prisoners, women prisoners, and detainees has entered its most dangerous and harshest phase in decades, amid a systematic and ongoing escalation of policies of arrest, detention, torture, ill-treatment, starvation, isolation, medical neglect, and deprivation of basic rights.

Parallel to the genocidal war against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, which has been accompanied by mass killings, forced displacement, and widespread destruction of homes, infrastructure, and civilian facilities, the occupying authorities expanded the scope of arrest operations in the West Bank and occupied Jerusalem. With the beginning of the ground invasion of the Gaza Strip, they also began carrying out mass arrests targeting civilians, including men, women, children, patients, displaced persons, and medical and humanitarian workers. People were detained from homes, shelters, schools, hospitals, during displacement operations, and at checkpoints and crossing points.

These arrests were accompanied by the transfer of detainees to prisons, military camps, interrogation centers, and military detention sites, where they were subjected to harsh detention conditions and various forms of torture and cruel and degrading treatment. These included severe beatings, prolonged restraints, sleep deprivation, being forced into painful physical positions, insults and threats, and psychological, physical, and sexual violence, in addition to starvation and deprivation of sufficient water and food, denial of clothing, blankets, and basic hygiene supplies, deprivation of medical care and medication, solitary and collective confinement, prohibition of family visits, and restrictions on access by lawyers and international monitoring bodies.

Isolation of Prisoners from the Outside World and from One Another

This coincided with the tightening of the system of control over prisoners and their increasing isolation from the outside world, including the continued prohibition of family visits and international monitoring. This includes the continued denial of access to prisoners by the International Committee of the Red Cross and its inability to inspect their conditions, resulting in a scarcity of information concerning their conditions and whereabouts, particularly in the case of detainees from the Gaza Strip.

This policy was accompanied by the actual and systematic practice of enforced disappearance against detainees. This involved deliberately holding them in unknown locations—including military camps and prisons established by the occupying authorities during the genocidal war—while completely severing communication between them and their families and lawyers and entirely refraining from disclosing their locations or fate for prolonged periods.

As part of this fully constituted crime, families were forcibly deprived of knowing whether their sons and daughters were alive or of determining the locations where they were being held, while the occupying authorities officially denied the existence of detainees in their custody before subsequent information established their presence in detention centers. This policy was further entrenched through the secret and repeated transfer of detainees between prisons, camps, and interrogation centers without informing their families, eliminating any possibility of tracking their whereabouts or determining their fate and confirming the occupation's practice of enforced disappearance as an organized and direct tool of repression.

Increasing Numbers of Prisoners and Detainees

The figures reveal an unprecedented expansion of the policy of arrest and detention since the beginning of the genocidal war. As of mid-August 2026, the number of Palestinian prisoners and detainees in the prisons and camps of the occupying State exceeded 9,400, including approximately 370 children and 92 women prisoners. The number of administrative detainees reached 3,198—persons detained without being charged or tried, on the basis of secret files to which the detainee and their lawyer cannot have access. The number of administrative detainees is the highest it has been in many years.

The number of detainees from the Gaza Strip classified by the occupying State as “unlawful combatants” reached approximately 1,358. They are subjected to arbitrary detention without fair-trial guarantees and without being formally charged or brought to trial. It should be emphasized that this figure does not necessarily include all detainees from the Gaza Strip held in military camps, meaning that the actual number of detainees from Gaza may be considerably higher than the announced figures.

Mass Arrest Campaigns in the West Bank and Jerusalem

Since 7 October 2023, mass arrest campaigns in the West Bank and occupied Jerusalem, have escalated, targeting thousands of Palestinians from different groups, including children, women, journalists, patients, activists, and human rights and humanitarian workers. According to data documented by prisoners' organizations, the number of arrests in the West Bank since the beginning of the genocidal war exceeded 25,000 by the end of August 2026.

This figure does not represent the number of detainees currently held in prisons, but rather the total number of arrests, including those who remained in detention and those who were subsequently released. This reflects the scale and continued nature of arrest campaigns over a period of nearly three years. These campaigns have been accompanied by extensive raids of cities, towns, refugee camps, and villages, some of which have continued for months, such as Jenin Camp and the camps of Tulkarm. These operations have also involved searches and destruction of homes, assaults, beatings, humiliation, and threats against detainees and their families, in addition to the use of family members as a means of pressure and coercion.

Mass Arrests from the Gaza Strip

With the beginning of the ground invasion by the occupying forces into the Gaza Strip, arrests there took on a mass character, as thousands of Palestinians were detained during military operations and displacement operations, and from schools, hospitals, shelters, homes, and at checkpoints and crossing points.

Palestinians were also detained during ground raids, and some were transferred to detention facilities inside the occupying State, including prisons, camps, and interrogation centers. Others were detained pursuant to legislation and military orders allowing their detention without trial under the Unlawful Combatants Law. Documenting the number of detainees from the Gaza Strip remains more difficult due to the continued denial of access to many detention sites and the lack of information regarding the fate of a number of detainees.

Prisons and Camps: Torture, Starvation, and Ill-Treatment

In prisons, camps, and interrogation centers, an integrated system of violations targeting Palestinians physically and psychologically has emerged through deprivation of food, water, clean clothing, sleep, and personal hygiene; exposure to extreme cold and heat; isolation; insults and humiliation; physical, psychological, and sexual assaults; and threats against detainees and their families.

Starvation and deprivation of basic necessities have become tools of punishment and control inside prisons, at a time when prisoners have been deprived of sufficient quantities of food and water. A number of them have experienced severe weight loss, while diseases and epidemics have spread as a result of malnutrition, lack of hygiene, and overcrowding in detention facilities.

Prisoners' testimonies have also documented the use of weapons and rubber bullets by the occupying forces against unarmed prisoners deprived of all basic necessities of life. Ammunition was fired directly and indiscriminately at their bodies inside the sections, in the context of deliberate repressive practices relying on excessive force and direct physical harm.

The testimony of prisoner (J.A.)[1], who was held in the Naqab Prison until his release in August 2026, documents part of these practices. He reported that repression operations were carried out regularly and involved beatings, the use of dogs, and rubber bullets. During one repression operation, the Keter Unit raided a room containing approximately 10 prisoners and forced them to lie face down with their faces toward the wall. One member of the unit then fired approximately 35 rubber bullets from a distance of less than one meter, randomly targeting the prisoners' bodies.

(J.A.) was hit by five bullets—two in his hand and three in his leg—causing bleeding, swelling, and severe pain. Other prisoners were also injured, including one prisoner whose injury resulted in a tear and infection in his leg.

He also reported that, during another repression operation, prisoners were beaten and stomped on their feet and heads, while being subjected to insults and severe restraints, with dogs being used and the operation being filmed on cameras. In addition to the violence, he described shortages of food and bread, poor hygiene, irregular access to showers, and the spread of scabies and its associated complications. He stated that a number of prisoners died as a result of the spread of the scabies disease, in addition to the other harsh conditions.

The first-hand testimonies collected during the war demonstrate that these violations were not individual or isolated incidents, but rather formed part of recurring patterns of repression, violence, and deprivation of basic necessities in a systematic and organized manner.

The testimony of released prisoner (F.T.)[2], who spent 32 months in administrative detention and was released in August 2026, further illustrates these conditions. He reported that detention conditions in Ofer and Naqab prisons were characterized by severe shortages of food, water, and clothing, poor hygiene, and repeated raids and repression operations. He stated that at the beginning of his detention, he remained for approximately 110 days wearing the same trousers and shirt, amid a severe shortage of clothing and hygiene supplies, and that access to the yard took place at widely spaced intervals and for short periods.

(F.T.) further described the widespread prevalence of scabies and boils in the Naqab prison, stating that approximately 140 out of 150 prisoners in one section were infected with scabies, meaning that more than 90 percent of the prisoners in the section had contracted the disease. The condition of some prisoners subsequently developed into boils, bleeding, and severe infections, amid shortages of medication and treatment.

He described repeated repression operations involving beatings, restraints, the use of dogs and rubber bullets, and forcing prisoners to crawl or place their heads on a contaminated drain during the repression operations.

During one repression operation in April 2026, he reported being beaten on his spine and left bleeding and restrained on the drain without being transferred for medical treatment. During another repression operation in July of the same year, a dog was released on him and struck him in the head with its muzzle, causing a wound to open between his eyebrows. Despite the observation of his bleeding, he was not transferred to the clinic.

This testimony, together with that of (J.A.), reveals the intersection of starvation and deprivation of basic necessities with repression, physical violence, and humiliation, making the detention conditions themselves part of an ongoing system of punishment and ill-treatment.

The combined effect of these practices and compounded crimes—including torture, ill-treatment, systematic medical neglect that contributed to the spread of scabies, as well as policies of starvation and dehydration and the deliberate imposition of harsh detention conditions—has resulted in catastrophic consequences that have claimed the lives of numerous detainees. More than 100 prisoners have died inside prisons and camps over the past three years as a result of these lethal policies. Accordingly, the number of prisoners who have died since 1967 as a result of these ongoing crimes against them has risen to 323.

Women Prisoners: Escalation of Repression and Deprivation of Basic Rights

The conditions of Palestinian women prisoners are witnessing a dangerous escalation amid the expansion of arrests and the continuation of policies of repression and ill-treatment inside prisons. The number of women prisoners stood at 92 as of August 2026, a very high figure compared with other periods.

These violations include repeated raids of prison sections, searches and collective punishments, restraints and beatings, as well as deprivation of food, clothing, hygiene supplies, showers, and healthcare, in addition to the spread of diseases as a result of harsh detention conditions.

The testimony of woman prisoner (S.D)[3], provides an example of these conditions. She described repeated repression operations against women prisoners in Damon Prison, including raids of rooms using dogs and stun grenades, restraining women prisoners and throwing them to the ground, and exposing them to the sun and extreme heat for hours, in addition to spraying pepper gas and beating some of the women prisoners.

She also reported the spread of scabies among women prisoners, accompanied by severe itching, bleeding, and boils, amid the absence of necessary treatment. She further described shortages of food, clothing, and hygiene supplies, the denial of showers for days at a time, and the confiscation of their basic belongings during repression operations.

In the same context, former woman prisoner (T.N.)[4], who was released in May 2026 after more than a year in administrative detention, described being subjected from the time of her arrest to restraints, threats, ill-treatment, and humiliating searches, as well as the confiscation of her personal clothing and religious clothing.

She also described the escalation of repression operations in Damon Prison, including forcing women prisoners to lie face down and kneel for prolonged periods, restraining them with their hands behind their backs, dragging and beating them, and tightening plastic restraints to the point of causing bruises, wounds, and bleeding. She reported that one repression operation on 17 April 2026 caused her back pain, while other women prisoners suffered severe exhaustion without any medical intervention.

The testimony of woman prisoner (S.H.)[5] documents another aspect of the escalation of violations against women prisoners. She reported that she was arrested in February 2025 after being summoned for questioning and subsequently subjected to lengthy interrogations focusing on her posts on Facebook, including personal and social posts.

She was then transferred to Al-Mascoubiya interrogation and detention center, where she was held for approximately 22 days under harsh conditions, including periods of deprivation of food, not knowing the time, continuous insults, the absence of windows and light, the presence of cockroaches and water leaks, and severe shortages of hygiene supplies and appropriate clothing.

After being transferred to Damon Prison, she reported a marked escalation in repression operations, particularly during the first months of her detention. Forces would often raid the sections shortly before dawn using stun grenades and dogs, order the women prisoners to kneel or lie face down, and then take them for searches, restrain them from behind, and violently drag them into the yard, where they were subjected to insults, beatings, and humiliation.

She also reported that some soldiers deliberately ran over the women prisoners or collided with them, and that the “magnometer” screening device was used to beat some of them. She stated that the sounds of grenades and raids caused intense fear among the women prisoners, particularly pregnant women, who were transferred to other rooms during repression operations but nevertheless remained subjected to severe psychological pressure and fear.

(S.H.) indicated that repression operations were repeatedly carried out throughout her detention and provided a list documenting 28 repression or raid operations between May 2025 and May 2026. Different units participated in these operations, including Nahshon and Yamaz, and some involved the spraying of gas, beatings, and the use of dogs.

She also described the case of woman prisoner (F.), who reported being beaten during one repression operation and subsequently assaulted by the prison director and another officer. The assault included striking her head against the sink, after which she was punished by being deprived of access to the yard.

In the same context, the testimony of woman prisoner (A.D.)[6] recounts details of her harsh detention experience, which began with a violent raid on her home in February 2026 at 3:00 a.m. Occupying forces directly assaulted her mother and brother before taking her away barefoot and with her hands restrained.

She was then transferred to the Askalan interrogation center, where she spent approximately two weeks undergoing intensive interrogation and continuous psychological pressure, during which she was denied access to a lawyer and the most basic human necessities.

The testimony continues with her suffering after she was transferred at the end of March 2026 to Damon Prison. Upon arrival, she was subjected to a full strip search and deprived of her clothing and personal belongings. She then lived with the other women prisoners under extremely harsh conditions, including stun grenades being thrown into the sections, the use of plastic restraints, reduced time in the yard, and the confiscation of basic necessities.

The woman prisoner documents a dangerous escalation that occurred in August 2026, involving raids of the rooms, the imposition of severe overcrowding, and the complete removal of blankets, clothing, Qur’ans, and utensils from the rooms, allegedly in preparation for and to conceal a staged visit by National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir to inspect the stripped rooms.

Widespread Targeting of Palestinian Children

The arrest of Palestinian children has escalated significantly since the beginning of the genocidal war on 7 October 2023, both through arrest campaigns in the West Bank, and occupied Jerusalem, and through nighttime raids of homes and repeated incursions into various cities, villages, and refugee camps.

Violations against children have not been limited to the arrest itself. In most cases, they have been accompanied by violent and degrading practices from the moment of arrest and throughout interrogation, transfer, and detention, including beatings, restraints, threats, and poor detention conditions. The use of administrative detention against children has also expanded, depriving the child of knowledge of the charge against them while allowing detention orders to be repeatedly renewed.

According to Addameer's statistics, the number of Palestinian children detained in the prisons of the occupying State reached approximately 370 as of August 2026. The occupation has arrested more than 1,900 children during the three years of the genocidal war, demonstrating the expansion of the targeting of children within the detention system.

The testimony of child (B.K.)[7] who was arrested from his home in April 2025, documents some of these practices. He reported that the occupying forces blew up the door of the house and assaulted his father and brother before three or four soldiers surrounded him and repeatedly punched him. He was then transferred to Atsion Camp and from there to Magiddo Prison.

He reported spending approximately one year in Magiddo, where he was held with approximately 120 children in one section under conditions characterized by overcrowding and shortages of food, clothing, and personal hygiene supplies.

He also described repeated repression operations against the children. The last took place one day before his release, when the forces raided the section after throwing a stun grenade, restrained the children with their hands behind their backs, and forced them to kneel. They were then beaten, humiliated, and stripped of their clothing. According to his testimony, the operation lasted approximately three hours and involved all prisoners in the section, demonstrating the use of violence and humiliation as tools of control over children inside the prison.

Medical Neglect and Slow Killing

Medical neglect and deprivation of treatment have emerged as among the most serious crimes against men and women prisoners. Patients and injured prisoners have been deprived of medication, treatment, and medical follow-up, while responses to emergency cases have been delayed. Some detainees have been left to suffer from serious and chronic injuries and illnesses without appropriate healthcare.

The impact of this policy is not limited to harming health. In the context of continued deprivation of treatment and care, it may amount to a form of slow killing, particularly in cases requiring urgent treatment or specialized medical intervention.

These conditions have been accompanied by torture and ill-treatment, including severe beatings, prolonged restraints, forcing detainees into painful physical positions, sleep deprivation, exposure to cold and heat, threats, humiliation, and psychological violence. These practices have been documented through detainees' testimonies and human rights and United Nations reports.

The testimony of prisoner (K.H.)[8] provides an example of the seriousness of this policy. He reported that after sustaining three gunshot wounds and remaining in a coma for approximately one month, he underwent several surgical operations. He was subsequently deprived of appropriate treatment and necessary surgeries. “Metal plating” was removed from his toes without anesthesia, while pieces of the metal plate protruded from his leg and he was forced to remove them himself in the absence of necessary medical care.

He also reported suffering from shortages of painkillers and food and having to rely on other prisoners for mobility. Complications from his injury resulted in the loss of 7 centimeters of bone from his left leg, and he still requires several surgeries following his release.

As for (S.A.)[9], who lost one of his eyes following a previous bullet injury and still has the bullet lodged in his head, he reported being beaten until he lost consciousness upon his arrest and being deprived of his prescription glasses and medical treatment.

During his detention, he also suffered from scabies, severe infections, and boils without receiving the necessary treatment in a timely manner. In one case, a severe infection in his leg extended to his pelvis and prevented him from walking, and he remained without treatment for nearly a month.

He subsequently developed a serious infection in his prosthetic eye, causing the suture site to rupture and nearly resulting in the eye coming out. Despite the seriousness of his condition, his transfer to hospital was delayed and he continued to receive treatment inside the prison.

The two testimonies reveal a recurring pattern that is not limited to the absence of medical care but includes delays in treatment, refusal to provide medication and medical supplies, failure to respond to emergencies, and allowing illnesses and injuries to deteriorate until they become life-threatening or cause permanent health damage. This makes medical neglect part of a broader system of torture and ill-treatment inside detention facilities.

Administrative Detention and the Unlawful Combatants Law

At the same time, the detention system has witnessed a dangerous expansion in the use of arbitrary legal mechanisms that allow the occupying State to deprive Palestinians of their liberty for prolonged periods without clear charges or a fair trial.

In the West Bank, the use of administrative detention has escalated, with thousands of Palestinians being held without charge or trial on the basis of secret files that do not allow detainees and their lawyers full access to them. Detention orders may be repeatedly renewed for an indefinite period, transforming this exceptional procedure into a widespread and systematic tool of detention.

In the Gaza Strip, the occupying authorities have extensively relied on the 2002 Unlawful Combatants Law and its amendments introduced after 7 October 2023, using it as a legal basis for detaining thousands of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip who were arrested during ground operations, at displacement centers, in homes, hospitals, schools, and at checkpoints and crossing points.

Under this law, Palestinians have been held for prolonged periods without being charged or afforded fair trials, while severe restrictions have been imposed on their right to access a lawyer and communicate with their families, and judicial review of detention orders has been delayed.

The information and testimonies documented in this paper confirm that what Palestinian men and women prisoners and detainees are experiencing inside the prisons and camps of the occupying State goes beyond the concept of harsh detention conditions and rises to the level of an integrated system of repression and a systematic policy used as a tool of retaliation and persecution during the ongoing genocidal war.

The convergence of policies of enforced disappearance, direct torture, starvation, and systematic medical neglect transforms these prisons and camps into sites of slow killing and the stripping away of the most basic elements of human dignity, placing the lives of thousands of detainees in imminent and direct danger.

In the face of this unprecedented catastrophe, the international community has an urgent moral and legal obligation to act immediately, establish effective international monitoring, and exert pressure to allow monitoring committees and the Red Cross access to determine the fate of detainees, put an end to these compounded crimes, and hold the occupying State accountable for its grave violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law.