Since the October 7 attacks by Hamas, reports have emerged detailing harsh conditions and alleged abuses in Israeli prisons housing Palestinian detainees. Interviews with a dozen Palestinians released since 2024, mostly under ceasefire agreements with Hamas, reveal accounts of physical mistreatment, including beatings, stress-position restraints, severe hunger, and, in two cases, sexual assaults witnessed by other prisoners.

Iyad Omar, 44, a longtime inmate convicted of attempted murder and held at Lavi prison, described a significant escalation in abuse following the attacks. “Every day, three times a day, someone was being beaten,” he said, adding that such treatment was previously limited to responses to hunger strikes or riots.

Physicians for Human Rights Israel, an advocacy group monitoring prison conditions, reported that all 59 detainees they visited since February complained of insufficient food and restricted medical care. Meanwhile, data from Hamoked, an Israeli nonprofit with access to prison population figures, indicates that the number of Palestinians in Israeli custody on alleged security charges has risen to about 9,300 from roughly 5,200 before the conflict. Most detainees remain held without formal charges.

Israeli authorities have acknowledged implementing measures after October 7 to intensify the conditions of detention. These include reducing food rations and suspending visits from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), measures officials say aim to reinforce deterrence against terrorism and extremist violence. Authorities maintain that detainees’ basic rights and healthcare standards are upheld and reject claims of systematic abuse.

A spokesperson for the Israel Prison Service called the allegations “false, recycled, and entirely without factual basis,” asserting that all complaints are investigated in accordance with the law.

Calls for greater transparency and accountability have increased amid mounting reports of mistreatment. In May, Israeli President Isaac Herzog condemned violence against Palestinian detainees, stating such acts tarnish the country’s reputation. Herzog, whose role is primarily ceremonial, emphasized concern over elements within Israeli society that normalize or even promote violence.

The United Nations added Israel in May to a list of countries with documented instances of sexual violence in conflict zones, citing violations against Palestinian detainees. Israel strongly rejected the allegations and announced it would sever relations with the UN secretary-general’s office.

Israel’s High Court ruled last month that the ban on Red Cross visits violates both international and domestic law. Although the ruling mandated resumption of inspections, these visits have not yet recommenced. Another ruling in 2025 found the state failed to meet detainees’ basic needs following petitions alleging deliberate starvation.

Much criticism has centered on National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who oversees the Israel Prison Service. Ben-Gvir restricted official prison inspections, allowing only a fraction of previous audit teams access between January and June 2026. His spokesperson said inspections partially resumed in June with reduced oversight. Ben-Gvir, a far-right political figure, has publicly advocated for harsh punishments, including endorsing a death penalty law for terrorism offenses.

Public opinion among Jewish Israelis largely supports tougher measures in response to security threats. A 2025 poll indicated that about 61% oppose investigations into soldier misconduct involving Palestinian detainees.

Investigations into alleged detainee abuse have been limited. In a high-profile case, five military reservists were indicted in 2024 over the severe beating of a Palestinian detainee at Sde Teiman military detention facility. The detainee, held without charge, sustained multiple broken ribs and internal injuries requiring urgent medical intervention. The accused denied the charges, which were ultimately dismissed in early 2026 amid political pressure and concerns over the trial’s fairness, including the detainee’s release before testifying. Meanwhile, the prosecutor who leaked video evidence related to the case faces an ongoing investigation.

Israeli military officials deny systemic abuse allegations, noting that individual offenders have been punished, including a soldier’s seven-month prison sentence last year for assaults on bound detainees.

Yohanan Plesner, president of the Israel Democracy Institute, linked the hardening prison conditions to broader societal trauma following the October 7 attacks. “The rise of Ben-Gvir was a direct result of frustration, a sense that if you don’t pay a price as a terrorist, then there’s no deterrence,” he said.

According to former inmates, the initial hours after Hamas’s assault saw prisoners at Lavi cheering the power outage, hopeful for a potential prisoner exchange. However, that hope quickly faded as authorities increased cell searches and intensified physical punishments. Reports from multiple detention facilities describe a marked increase in the frequency and severity of beatings since the attacks.