The Palestinian Authority for Prisoners Affairs has denounced the treatment of child prisoners in Israel’s Megiddo Prison, accusing the prison administration of subjecting them to daily verbal abuse, beatings, sexual harassment, and harsh isolation. The authority said punitive measures against the minors mirror those imposed on adult prisoners since the start of Israel’s assault on Gaza.

According to testimony gathered by lawyers, children are held in bare, insect-infested cells lacking proper ventilation or lighting. They are deprived of family visits, and when visits are permitted, they are brought in blindfolded, shackled, and with their heads covered in black bags. Even inside the visiting room, their hands remain bound, making it difficult for them to hold the phone to speak with relatives.

As of early August 2025, more than 450 Palestinian children are detained in Israeli prisons, alongside over 10,800 other prisoners, not including those held in military camps. Rights groups warn that the conditions described fall far below international standards for the treatment of children and prisoners, underscoring what Palestinians see as systematic abuse under occupation.