DayofPal—Palestinian prisoner advocacy organizations reported that Israel has classified 1,249 detainees as “unlawful combatants,” including prisoners from Gaza as well as Lebanon and Syria.
According to a report released by the institutions, Israel is currently holding more than 9,300 Palestinian prisoners in its jails as of early February 2026. The total includes dozens of women and hundreds of children.
The report noted that 350 Palestinian children are detained in Megiddo and Ofer prisons, while 56 female prisoners are being held, including two minors.
It also highlighted a sharp rise in the number of administrative detainees, which has reached 3,358, the highest figure among all prisoner categories, including sentenced prisoners, detainees awaiting trial, and those labeled as “unlawful combatants.”
The Commission of Detainees’ and Ex-Detainees’ Affairs warned of deliberate medical neglect and systematic abuse in Israeli prisons, particularly in Ofer and Negev facilities.
Following legal visits, the commission said prison authorities continue to deny prisoners basic medical care and treat serious illnesses with a policy of “revenge and humiliation,” raising fears of a widespread health catastrophe.
The commission documented severe violations in Negev Prison, including the case of detainee Izz Al-Din Abu Hamdi, who lost sight in his left eye, underwent surgery to restore vision, and later lost it again after being assaulted and beaten on his head and eye.
He also suffers from severe vision loss in his right eye, causing him to repeatedly falls and got injured
Meanwhile, Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir claimed that the tightening of detention conditions has become a deterrent to attacks.
In an interview with Israeli radio, he said Shin Bet chief David Zini told him that Palestinians fear imprisonment under what he called the “hell of Ben Gvir’s prisons.”
Separately, Israeli human rights group B’Tselem said in a report published in January 2026 that Israeli prisons and detention centers have turned into a “network of systematic torture camps,” citing physical and psychological abuse, starvation, medical neglect, and total isolation.
In response, families of Palestinian prisoners have launched a global media campaign to draw attention to the harsh and inhumane detention conditions.
The campaign calls on human rights organizations, activists, and influencers worldwide to intervene and oppose Israeli efforts to legislate the death penalty, particularly targeting prisoners serving life sentences.
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