Concerns are growing over the conditions faced by Palestinians from Gaza held in Israeli prisons, with rights advocates warning that more than 2,000 prisoners remain in detention under extremely harsh circumstances. Detainees are reportedly held across several facilities, including Ofer Prison, Negev Prison, Rakefet Detention Section and the controversial camp at Sde Teiman. Accounts collected from prisoners’ rights groups describe a network of detention centres where those taken from Gaza are kept in strict isolation from other Palestinian prisoners.

Within Ofer Prison, detainees from Gaza are reportedly confined to special sections run by the military where they remain segregated from prisoners originating from the West Bank or other areas. Prisoners have reportedly come to describe these sections as a “graveyard”, reflecting the conditions they say they endure around the clock. Testimonies suggest detainees are kept in dimly lit enclosures resembling cages, where basic necessities such as bedding, clothing and heating are severely limited despite cold winter temperatures.

Reports further describe a regime of daily repression inside the prison blocks. Prisoners are allegedly restrained with plastic ties behind their backs for prolonged periods, forced onto the ground and subjected to degrading treatment designed to weaken their morale. Food supplies are said to be extremely limited, with detainees receiving small and poor-quality meals that have led to widespread weight loss and exhaustion. During Ramadan, prisoners reportedly receive no pre-dawn meal and must divide their evening food portions to survive the long fasting hours.

Health concerns are also mounting among detainees, many of whom were reportedly arrested while injured or suffering from chronic illnesses. Medical care is said to be minimal or delayed, while overcrowded cells and a shortage of hygiene supplies have led to the spread of diseases such as Scabies. Rights advocates warn that the combination of starvation, neglect and harsh detention conditions has already resulted in multiple deaths in Israeli custody since the beginning of the genocidal war, with some cases allegedly concealed under enforced disappearance policies.

According to prisoners’ affairs institutions, more than 9,500 Palestinians are currently held in Israeli prisons as of early March 2026, including women and hundreds of children. International rights organisations have been urged to conduct urgent inspections of detention sections holding Gaza prisoners and to investigate allegations of abuse, warning that conditions inside these facilities have deteriorated sharply since October 2023.