A living hell of torture for incarcerated Palestinians

JVL Introduction

B’Tselem have produced an update to the report they issued in 2024 about the torture meted out to Palestinians held in Israeli jails.  Currently numbering nearly 11,000 Palestinians including minors and with over 3,000 held without charge or trial under “administrative detention”.  (see eg Statistics on Palestinians in Israeli custody.

Among those held are Marwan Barghouti who has been incarcerated for over 20 years on what many consider trumped up charges and Dr.Hussam Abu Safia who stayed at …hospital for as long as he possibly could to provide for the patients. (see, eg  this Al Jazeera report marking the 1st anniversary of his incarceration. There is evidence that both he and Marwan Barghouti are among those who have been and possibly continue to be tortured.

“The report shows that the policy of abuse is declared, deliberate, and is coming from the very top. National Minister of Security Itamar Ben Gvir, who is in charge of the Israel Prison Service, brags in TV puff pieces and on social media about the inhuman treatment of Palestinians in these facilities. He is not alone. The entire Israeli system has rallied to shield the people designing and implementing this policy from any accountability.”

Below are extracts from the report and two of the many testimonies: it is harrowing but necessary reading.

LL

This article was originally published by B'Tselem on Tue 20 Jan 2026. Read the original here.