Mass detentions in the Israel–Hamas war
Since the outbreak of the Israel–Hamas war on October 7, 2023, Israel has carried out mass arrests and detentions of Palestinians. Thousands have been arrested in the Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories and in Israel, based on alleged militant activity, offensive social media postings, or arbitrarily.[2][10][11][12][13][14]
Mass detentions in the Israel–Hamas war
News outlets and human rights organizations both within and outside of Israel reported that thousands of Gazan workers in Israel were detained in the weeks following October 7.[2][11][13] Additionally, Israel has detained or enforced disappearance of residents of the Gaza Strip, arrested Palestinians in the West Bank and Arab citizens of Israel, and detained fighters captured inside Israel.[1][15][16][17][18][19] Concerns have been raised regarding the legality, secrecy, and conditions of many detentions, including allegations of mistreatment, torture, and sexual assault.[20][13][21][22]
On November 3, Israel deported 3,200 Gazan Palestinian workers who were detained in Israel following the October 7 attacks to the Gaza Strip.[4] In addition to Palestinian prisoners in custody prior to the outbreak of the war, an unknown number of individuals remain in detention.[13][22] More than 4,700 Palestinians have been arrested in the West Bank and occupied East Jerusalem since October 7, according to the UN.[23][24] Those arrested or detained include journalists, politicians and political activists, artists, medics and physicians, temporary workers, and other civilians, including women and children. As of April 2024, more than 9,312 Palestinians in total were being held in Israeli prisons, per HaMoked.[25]
Images of a mass arrest by Israeli soldiers in Gaza circulated widely during the war, showing men and boys with no known organizational affiliations stripped to their underwear, tied up, and blindfolded.[26][27][28][29] After the images began to circulate, Israeli authorities and media described the scene as the surrender of 150 suspected Hamas militants in Khan Younis.[30][31][32][33] Analysts questioned the authenticity of the purported surrender, suggesting that it may have been staged by Israeli forces.[28][34] Security officials later acknowledged that the scene was not a mass surrender of Hamas militants.[35] Human rights groups have expressed concern about the images and the detentions.[27][36][37]
Analysis
In a report to the United Nations General Assembly on October 24, Francesca Albanese, the UN Special Rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories, noted that the failure to notify parents of the whereabouts of their children following an arrest is a violation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and can be considered a forced disappearance.[14] Albanese further noted that transferring civilian populations from occupied territories (i.e. from the West Bank to prisons in Israel) is a war crime.[14]
Israeli authorities and media outlets have justified the mass detentions as a counterterrorism measure or a response to violence.[251][252][253] The Times of Israel has sent reporters to join IDF reservist battalions during overnight raids in the West Bank, describing the arrests as quelling a potential front in the ongoing war.[122] The IDF stated it had arrested 2,000 West Bank Palestinians as of November 29, including 1,100 it alleged were affiliated with Hamas.[122]
Reuters notes that prisons are overseen by Israel's far-right Minister of National Security, Itamar Ben-Gvir, "who has long advocated for a crackdown on Palestinian prisoners", and has expressed support for a bill providing for the execution of militants.[10]
Several of the human rights organizations listed above describe the revocation of work permits and the detention of Palestinian workers as a form of retaliation by Israel for the October 7 attack by Hamas and the capture of Israeli citizens by Palestinian armed groups.[52][53][254] Al Jazeera referred to social media commentary comparing the reported abuse to the Abu Ghraib torture and prisoner abuse scandal.[255] In April 2024, Addameer stated, "Surveillance on social media targets anyone showing sympathy with Gaza, which is considered incitement for violence or as support for a 'terrorist organisation'".[256]
Reactions
International
Russian Permanent Representative to the United Nations Vasily Nebenzya stated that the situation in the West Bank deserved close scrutiny by the Security Council, specifically citing "arbitrary arrests" by Israel.[257]
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk referred to daily "violence from Israeli forces and settlers, ill treatment, arrests, evictions, intimidation and humiliation" in the West Bank, and called on Israeli authorities to respect Palestinian rights.[258] On December 1, the UN Human Rights Office expressed serious concern regarding the dramatic rise in arrests.[23] In a statement, Türk called for "an end to practices of arbitrary detention by Israel".[259]
In response to a question posed at a meeting of NATO Ministers of Foreign Affairs on November 29, Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs Mélanie Joly stated that "arrestations [sic] must be done according to the rule of law and international law", while calling for condemnation of and an end to "violence".[260] Doctors Without Borders stated it was "deeply concerned" about a staff member detained by the Israelis in Khan Younis, calling on the IDF to guarantee his "dignity and ensure his wellbeing".[261] In April 2024, the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby criticized Israel's arrest of a Palestinian Christian woman.[262]
In Israel and Palestine
In a meeting between Red Cross president Mirjana Spoljaric Egger and Qadura Fares, the head of the Ministry of Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs, Fares requested for international intervention, stating Palestinian prisoners were "living the worst conditions" in history.[263]
Justices of the Supreme Court of Israel stated they would tour Israeli prisons amidst reports of Palestinian prisoners' deaths and deteriorating prison conditions.[264] Palestinian activist Mustafa Barghouti stated more than a thousand Palestinian detainees were experiencing "brutal torture and severe beatings" in Israeli prisons.[265]
In December 2023, Minister of National Security Ben-Gvir stated he was replacing Katy Perry, the chief commissioner of the Israel Prison Service, because she was too lax and not harsh enough.[266] In March 2024, Netanyahu ordered the Israeli defence, national security, and finance ministers to prepare Israeli prisons for thousands of new Palestinian prisoners.[267] The IDF military police launched criminal investigations in June 2024 into the death of 48 Palestinians during the war, most of whom were detainees.[268]
In June 2024 the Palestinian Legislative Council in Gaza demanded for an international inspection of Israeli detention centers after a number of released detainees, reportedly left the centers after months appearing frail and thin. The council raised allegations that the prisoners were subjected to starvation, isolation and torture.[269]