The Palestinian Commission of Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs has exposed the appalling conditions faced by Palestinian child prisoners in Israel’s Megiddo Prison, describing practices that amount to systematic abuse. Children are reportedly locked in bare cells, denied family visits, and subjected to the same punitive measures imposed on adults since October 7.

During the rare occasions they are taken to visitation rooms, the children arrive shackled at the hands and feet, blindfolded, and with their heads covered in black bags. Even as blindfolds are removed, their restraints remain, preventing them from holding items or embracing their families. Legal appeals to remove these shackles have been ignored.

The report details filthy cells infested with insects, poor ventilation, and inadequate lighting. Beyond these degrading conditions, children endure daily verbal abuse, physical assaults, solitary confinement, sexual harassment, and collective punishment. Rights groups warn that these practices blatantly violate international laws safeguarding children.

Today more than 450 Palestinian minors are behind bars, alongside 50 women prisoners, while over 3,600 detainees are held without charge under administrative detention, the highest figure recorded. For Palestinians, these figures reflect not only the cruelty of the prison system but also a broader policy of targeting the most vulnerable in an attempt to break the spirit of a people who refuse to be silenced.