An investigation by the Israeli newspaper Haaretz has confirmed that at least 20 Israeli prisoners held in Gaza were killed by direct Israeli military operations since the beginning of the war on 7 October 2023. Relying on military sources and testimonies from released prisoners, the report exposes a pattern of deadly strikes and critical intelligence failures.

One of the most shocking cases occurred on 7 April 2025, when Israeli forces bombed a building above a tunnel where two prisoners were being held. Though they narrowly survived, the army admitted it had no confirmed intelligence on their presence. A military official told the newspaper that operations often go ahead despite uncertainty: “The more strikes there are, the greater the risk of killing them.”

Other prisoners were not so lucky. In a devastating incident, three Israeli prisoners were shot by Israeli troops after approaching them naked and waving white flags. In another case, six prisoners died of suffocation after a tunnel was bombed in Khan Younis. Freed prisoners reported living in constant fear of Israeli airstrikes, more than their captivity itself.

The families of the prisoners have accused the Israeli government of abandoning their loved ones for political reasons. According to relatives, bombing continues in areas where prisoners may be held, in order to serve the interests of the ruling coalition. Military officials have admitted that they often lack real-time intelligence due to the frequent movement of prisoners, leaving forces “blind.”

At the same time, Israel continues its deadly campaign in Gaza with full U.S. support, leaving over 177,000 Palestinians dead or wounded, most of them women and children. More than 10,000 Palestinians remain in Israeli prisons, suffering torture, hunger, and medical neglect, while calls for accountability grow louder both inside and outside of Israel.