Firsthand accounts reveal a disturbing pattern
Nearly two years after his arrest, Naseem al-Radee, a 33-year-old government employee from Beit Lahiya, described a prison system that he says normalized abuse. He spent more than 22 months in Israeli detention centers, including 100 days in an underground cell, before his release alongside about 1,700 other detainees. Like many others released on the same day, he was never charged with a crime. His testimony, echoed by others, forms part of a growing body of evidence cited by human rights groups alleging systematic mistreatment of Palestinian detainees.
The daily routine of brutality, confinement, and neglect
Radee described a “scheduled regimen of abuse” that began the moment guards entered a section. He recalled being bound hand and foot, subjected to beatings, and subjected to tear gas, rubber bullets, and relentless verbal abuse. He said dogs would be released while soldiers shouted orders in a manner designed to terrify and humiliate detainees. Cells were grossly overcrowded—one account described 14 people living in a space the prisoner said was built for five—and sanitation was severely lacking, leading to fungal and skin diseases that went untreated.
Health and hygiene in detention
The impact of overcrowding and unsanitary conditions extended beyond acute injuries. Mohammed al-Asaliya, a 22-year-old university student released from Nafha prison, contracted scabies during detention. He described trying to treat wounds with floor disinfectant, only to worsen injuries due to unsanitary surroundings, filthy mattresses, and weak immune systems. Medical care was reportedly insufficient, leaving many detainees without proper treatment for extended periods.
<h2 “Disco” and other harsh torture methods
Asaliya recalled a notorious area referred to as “the disco,” where loud music was played for days as a method of torment. Other reported torture methods included hanging detainees on walls, spraying cold air and water, and sometimes applying chili powder to detainees. These descriptions align with testimonies gathered by human rights organizations alleging routine mistreatment during detention.
<h2 The toll on bodies and futures
Weight loss was extreme: Radee dropped from 93 kg to about 60 kg, and Asaliya from 75 kg to 42 kg at a low point. Medical officials noted visible signs of beating, bruises, fractures, and drag marks on the released detainees, with many requiring urgent emergency care upon return to Gaza. In addition to physical injuries, detainees arrived malnourished and exhausted, with long gaps without adequate food or medical attention.
<h2 A broader context: legal shifts and policy concerns
Advocates say the detentions are part of a broader policy shift after the 7 October 2023 Hamas attack, including changes to Israeli law that authorize administrative detention without charge when an officer believes someone is an unlawful combatant. PCATI argues that the scale and severity of abuse has increased and become institutionalized, a claim linked to comments by security officials and lawmakers. Critics emphasize that mass detention, without due process, raises serious human rights and international law questions.
<h2 Personal tragedy and release
For Radee, the moment of release carried mixed emotions. He learned that his wife and most of his children were killed in Gaza during his captivity. The date of release coincided with his youngest daughter’s third birthday, an occasion he hoped to celebrate with his family, a hope that was abruptly cut short by the war’s continuing toll.
