Introduction: A Grim Return to Gaza
When Naseem al-Radee walked back into Gaza after more than 22 months in Israeli detention centers, he carried with him not just the weight of time served but a litany of injuries and trauma. Like many others released alongside 1,700 detainees, he arrived with chronic pain, vision problems, and the psychological scars of a system many human rights advocates label as abusive. His account, and those of other former detainees, paints a stark picture of what they allege is a deliberate policy of torture, medical neglect, and extended administrative detention that has intensified since the 7 October 2023 conflict.
The Conditions Inside: Beatings, Bindings, and Contagion
Radee described a regime where hands and feet were bound, where beatings were routine, and where harsh measures were used as a form of control. “The conditions in the prison were extremely harsh, from having our hands and feet bound to being subjected to the cruelest forms of torture,” he said, recounting Nafha prison in the Negev desert as a place of systematic abuse. Guards, he added, used teargas, rubber bullets, and relentless verbal assaults, and even entered sections with dogs to impose fear and suppress dissent.
Overcrowded cells, with 14 people crammed into rooms designed for far fewer, created an environment ripe for disease and mental strain. Medical neglect exacerbated the misery: fungal and skin diseases went untreated, sanitation was poor, and the food reportedly contaminated. A 22-year-old detainee, Mohammed al-Asaliya, described a prison that allowed no effective medical care, forcing inmates to improvise with floor disinfectants that worsened wounds and illnesses.
Torture’s Variety: From Despair to Physical Harm
Asaliya recalled a harsh “disco” area where loud music was played for two days straight, alongside methods such as hanging detainees on walls, spraying cold air and water, and even dispersing chili powder on prisoners. These abuses, he said, were part of a broader spectrum of torture employed to intimidate inmates and break their resolve. Weigh loss was severe for both men: Radee dropped from 93 kg to 60 kg, and Asaliya from 75 kg to 42 kg at a point during detention. The deterioration was not merely physical; many detainees arrived back in Gaza with signs of beatings, fractures, and other injuries, signaling what medical officials described as serious, sometimes life-threatening harm.
Detention Without Charge: A Systematic Policy or Response to War?
About 2,800 Palestinians from Gaza remain detained in Israeli prisons and detention camps without charge, according to the Public Committee Against Torture in Israel (PCATI). Changes to Israeli law following the Hamas-led assault in October 2023—such as amendments to the unlawful combatants law—have allowed administrative detention without charge on the basis of “reasonable grounds to believe” a person is an unlawful combatant. Critics say the scale and duration of detention reflect a broader policy rather than isolated incidents, with advocates like PCATI’s Tal Steiner pointing to a drift toward greater abuse as a state strategy.
Healthcare Crisis and Human Cost
Palestinian medical officials described a flow of returnees arriving in poor health, many needing emergency care for injuries sustained in prison and the long-term effects of malnutrition and neglect. Eyad Qaddih, director of public relations at Nasser hospital in southern Gaza, reported visible bruises, fractures, and immobilizing wounds on the detainees’ bodies. The human cost goes beyond the immediate harm; the emotional toll of family separation and the loss of loved ones during detention compounds trauma for detainees and their communities.
Voices From the Ground: Individual Stories, Broad Implications
Radee’s personal sorrow is inseparable from a wider political context. He learned on his return that his wife and most of his children had been killed in Gaza during his time in custody. His recounting of the moment of release—coinciding with his youngest daughter’s birthday—highlights the cruel juxtaposition of personal joy and communal tragedy that frames every detainee’s experience. The stories collected by human rights groups, including B’Tselem, underscore the alleged pattern of abuse and the urgent need for accountability and safer, rights-respecting detention practices.
What Comes Next: Accountability, Aid, and Policy Change
As international and regional observers scrutinize these claims, advocates demand accountability for abuses and urgent improvements in medical care, protections for detainees, and mechanisms that ensure due process. The broader question remains: how to balance security concerns with universal rights and dignity for all detainees, regardless of political circumstances. The release of thousands of detainees is a temporary, if hopeful, relief; lasting change requires sustained attention, rigorous monitoring, and genuine adherence to international law.
Notes for readers
Witness accounts from released detainees form part of ongoing reports by human rights organizations about conditions in Israeli prisons and the evolving legal framework governing detention. Responses from Israeli authorities were not immediately provided for this piece.
