For the First Time: Israel Reveals Number of Gaza Detainees in Its Prisons

Occupied Palestine (Quds News Network)- For the first time since October 7, Israel responded to a legal petition concerning detainees from Gaza. The petition, filed by several human rights organizations, raised concerns about harsh conditions in detention camps.
Israel’s response revealed a 50% increase in Gaza detainees between mid-October and mid-December. The total number of detainees reached 3,436, with 151 released for various reasons. The response also noted that the legal status of 500 detainees remains unclear, with authorities yet to determine if they are combatants or civilians.
Additionally, 500 detainees are denied access to legal counsel. Under Israeli law, detainees may be held without meeting a lawyer for up to 45 days.
In preparation for a possible prisoner exchange as part of a Gaza ceasefire deal, Avichai Ben Hamo, head of operations in Israel’s Prison Service, ordered the installation of surveillance cameras for added security.
Rights Group Reports Shocking Abuse
Al-Dameer Association for Human Rights documented severe abuse during visits to detainees held at Anatot Camp near occupied Jerusalem. The detainees, arrested in late December from Gaza’s Kamal Adwan Hospital, described brutal treatment.
According to their testimonies, Israeli forces beat them with rifle butts, hurled insults, and forced them to walk long distances under harsh conditions. At Al-Fakhoura School, detainees were stripped, blindfolded, and handcuffed. They were then transported in trucks to the Zikim military base, where soldiers reportedly stomped on their heads.
In one account, detainees were left exposed to freezing temperatures for six hours, sitting naked in the cold. Many said they nearly froze.
At Anatot Camp, detainees reported inhumane conditions, including being bound and blindfolded even during meals or bathroom visits. Food was scarce and of poor quality. Medical care was denied, despite some detainees suffering from cancer and other serious illnesses.
International Law Violations
Al-Dameer labeled these acts as war crimes under the Geneva Conventions and the Convention Against Torture. The organization also noted that they constitute crimes against humanity under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Al-Dameer urged the ICC to launch an immediate investigation into these violations. They demanded accountability and an end to Israel’s impunity.
The organization also highlighted abuses in Sdeh Teiman Camp, where detainees endured five days of severe mistreatment. Many described being blindfolded, bound, and deprived of food and water.
Detainees recounted being placed in large pits and threatened with live burial. In the notorious “disco” interrogation facility, loud music caused psychological and physical harm.
Al-Dameer renewed calls for international intervention to protect Palestinian detainees. They emphasized the need to uphold detainees’ basic rights under international law.