Jerusalem: Since the inception of the Israeli occupation of Palestine, Israeli forces have arrested over a million Palestinians from various regions, including the West Bank, Jerusalem, and Gaza. The occupation has been marked by systematic targeting and arrest of Palestinians, regardless of their location, as well as other Arab prisoners involved in the Palestinian resistance.
According to Anadolu Agency, the occupation has used various forms of torture, abuse, and medical neglect against Palestinian political prisoners, employing the issue of prisoners for political bargaining. This strategy has extended to the arrest of hundreds of Palestinian women and thousands of children, employing inhumane practices that violate international conventions and laws related to human rights in detention, particularly in conflict zones.
The scale of such arrests has significantly increased since October 7, 2023, following Israel's mass arrest campaign aimed at suppressing national resistance and exerting collective punishment. Palestinian advocacy groups have documented over 16,400 arrests in the West Bank and Jerusalem alone, with additional thousands taken from Gaza amid allegations of genocidal actions by Israel.
The Israeli occupation has utilized two legal frameworks to justify the mass detention of Palestinians without trial. The 'administrative detention' order allows indefinite renewal of detention for those in the West Bank, with 3,498 Palestinians detained as of early April 2025. The 'Illegal Combatants' law targets residents of Gaza, with 1,747 individuals held, mainly in military camps.
Thousands from Gaza are reportedly forcibly disappeared, with no transparency on their status or location. Detainees face severe abuse, torture, solitary confinement, and medical neglect, with Israel acknowledging over 60 prisoner deaths due to direct executions or neglect. The prison system is perceived as a colonial tool for collective punishment and societal intimidation.
Amid these developments, international bodies and the United Nations face criticism for their perceived inaction and inability to address violations against Palestinian prisoners. The ongoing abuses challenge international humanitarian law, including the Fourth Geneva Convention, which ensures the rights of individuals under occupation.
Israel's non-cooperation with international oversight bodies further obscures the situation of detainees, particularly from Gaza, raising concerns about mass abuses and extrajudicial executions. The international community's silence and inaction are seen as dangerous, potentially emboldening further violations and undermining global human rights systems.
This situation not only questions the fate of thousands of prisoners but also the moral standing of the international legal order. The efficacy of institutions meant to protect human rights is under scrutiny, amid fears of eroding international law foundations.