Criticism has intensified over the way global powers address the plight of Palestinians held in Israeli jails, with senior officials arguing that international concern is applied selectively rather than universally. The treatment of detainees, they say, has been marginalised in global debate, even as it remains a defining humanitarian issue shaped by a prolonged genocidal war and its aftermath.

According to officials overseeing prisoners’ affairs, international rhetoric has repeatedly foregrounded the fate of Israeli prisoners held in Gaza while remaining largely silent on the conditions faced by thousands of Palestinians behind bars. This imbalance, they argue, has allowed systematic abuses to persist without meaningful accountability. Detention centres are described not merely as places of incarceration, but as environments where neglect, punitive measures and harsh treatment have become routine.

Human rights advocates point to a steady accumulation of testimonies detailing torture and ill-treatment, beginning at the moment of arrest and extending throughout detention. What is striking, they note, is the evolution of these practices into a daily reality rather than isolated incidents tied to interrogation. Since late 2023, such methods have reportedly intensified, reflecting a broader climate of impunity fostered by political protection at the international level.

More than 9,000 Palestinians, including women and children, are currently imprisoned, many facing starvation, denial of medical care and prolonged abuse. Calls are growing for states and international bodies to move beyond statements of concern and enforce existing legal obligations. Without consistent pressure, critics warn, the language of human rights risks becoming hollow, reinforcing a system where one group’s suffering is amplified while another’s is rendered invisible.