At least 3,500 Palestinians held without charges as Israel blocks prison visits: Report

Palestinians are marking Prisoners’ Day on Thursday, drawing attention to the plight of thousands held in Israeli detention centres - many without charge or a trial.

Former detainees have described brutal conditions behind bars, describing systematic torture, starvation, and physical abuse at the hands of Israeli prison staff.

Addameer, a Palestinian prisoners’ rights group, says nearly 10,000 Palestinians are currently imprisoned, including around 400 children and 27 women.

It estimates that roughly 40 percent of all Palestinian men have been detained at some point by Israel in their lifetime.

The group also reports that 3,500 people are being held under administrative detention - imprisoned without formal charges or access to legal proceedings.

Since October 2023, Israel has barred all humanitarian organisations from visiting prisons, making it increasingly difficult to monitor detainees’ treatment or verify current figures.

Calls for international accountability are growing, but there is still no sign of oversight returning to Israel’s detention system.