The Hidden Front in Israel's Assault on Gaza and the West Bank: The Plight of Palestinians in Israeli Prisons

The Israeli military's assault on Gaza and the West Bank has been widely condemned for its devastating impact on civilians, but a lesser-known aspect of this conflict is the plight of Palestinians being held in Israeli prisons under harsh conditions. Despite the recent release of 2,000 prisoners as part of a cease-fire agreement, thousands more remain locked up, subjected to abuse, and denied basic human rights. The international community must recognize these prisoners as hostages to the conflict and demand justice for the atrocities committed against them.

Key Takeaways:

• Over 19,000 Palestinians were swept up in the West Bank and Jerusalem since Oct. 7, 2023, with more than 11,000 still locked up in Israeli prisons, including almost a third under "administrative detention" without charges or a trial.
• Thousands of Gazans were held in Israeli military detention, many as "unlawful combatants" without any legal process, with estimates suggesting that as few as one in four had been classified as fighters even in Israel's own military databases.
• Released prisoners have reported being subjected to beatings, torture, rape, and extreme deprivation, including loud music being played for hours, attacks by dogs, waterboarding, suspension from ceilings, and severe sexual and gender-based violence.
• Legal experts and scholars may decide whether the alleged torture and abuse meet the criteria for genocide according to international law, but there can be no doubt that Israel's war on prisoners was a third front in its assault on Gaza and the West Bank.
• The Palestinian Prisoners Society has documented the suffering of these prisoners, with many being held in conditions that defy international laws mandating humane treatment of detainees.
• The rights won by Palestinian prisoners, including access to books, medication, and visits by family members and lawyers, were rolled back after Oct. 7, with many being held in lawless places of torment without basic necessities.
• The U.N. Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights has echoed reports by Amnesty International and B'Tselem, documenting testimony by Palestinians who were subjected to cruel and inhumane treatment while incarcerated.

Statistics:

• Over 19,000 Palestinians were swept up in the West Bank and Jerusalem since Oct. 7, 2023.
• More than 11,000 Palestinians are still locked up in Israeli prisons, including almost a third under "administrative detention" without charges or a trial.
• An estimated 77 detainees have died in custody over the past two years, including Walid Daqqa, a well-known prison intellectual.
• The first 90 bodies have been returned to Gaza as part of the cease-fire agreement.
• Since 1967, an estimated one million Palestinians have been arrested and locked up, which would be one-fifth of the current population in the West Bank and Gaza.

Sources:

• The New York Times
• The Guardian
• +972 Magazine
• Local Call
• Amnesty International
• B'Tselem
• The Israeli Army
• The Palestinian Prisoners Society
• The U.N. Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights