The recent release of Palestinian detainees from Israeli custody has sparked widespread outrage and concern, exposing systematic torture, starvation, and severe neglect, while drawing global condemnation.
As part of the ceasefire agreements between Israel and Hamas, a few prisoners have been released. These detainees show signs of physical and psychological trauma. Human rights groups have called these cases evidence of Israel’s "systematic war crimes" against Palestinian prisoners. These events have brought attention to the harsh treatment of prisoners and sparked renewed demands for justice and accountability.
Reports indicate that hundreds of Palestinians freed instead of celebrating their return, families were heartbroken to witness the physical and emotional damage their loved ones had suffered. Many of the released prisoners shared accounts of being beaten, electrocuted, and starved for extended periods.
In February 2025, 183 Palestinians were released from Israeli jails, many arriving at hospitals in Gaza and the West Bank in critical condition. Photographs and videos showed severely underweight individuals struggling to walk, some with visible injuries like broken ribs, amputated limbs, and burns from chemical attacks.
Mohammed Abu Tawila, a freed detainee, told how Israeli soldiers had poured acid and other chemicals on him, causing him burns and permanent eye damage. "They treated us worse than animals", he said. Another prisoner, Sami Jaradat, lost over 30 kilograms (66 pounds) during his detention. "Prison guards became monsters after October 2023", he told Anadolu Agency. "They starved us deliberately".
Reports from Al Jazeera, B’Tselem, and Euro-Med Monitor reveal Israel has turned prisons into “torture camps” since the Gaza war began in October 2023. Prisoners suffered starvation, receiving just one meal a day, often rotten, insufficient or barely enough to survive.The main aim of prison service was that no prisoner should remain alive, so they deliberately neglected medical treatment.
Sick detainees were denied for treatment, leading to untreated infections, scabies outbreaks, and preventable deaths. At least 60 Palestinians have died in custody since 2023.
Physical torture was a horrifying reality, with accounts of beatings, sexual assault, and forced stress positions. Many released prisoners had broken bones and head injuries from brutal interrogations. Psychological torment was another weapon, as guards shaved prisoners’ heads, banned communication with families, and conducted terrifying midnight cell raids.
The B'Tselem report titled Welcome to Hell stated these abuses reflect “a systemic, institutional policy” approved by Israeli leaders.
Families of the freed wept as they reunited with loved ones in grief. Amir Abu Radah, held for 18 months in Israel’s Nafha prison, described relentless suffering, “They cut water and electricity. We lived in darkness, isolated from the world. Many of us wished for death.”
Iyad Abed, an engineer from Gaza, became a symbol of Israel’s brutality. Before and after photos showed his transformation from healthy to skeletal, his face hollowed by starvation.
Mohammed Abu Amsha said, “There were a lot of skin diseases in prisons and we did not get to change the clothes since the first day of our detention”.
Even the last day of release of Palestinian detainees became a painful experience. Prisoners were made to wear dirty uniforms and T-shirts with a biblical verse printed on them, "I will pursue my enemies and destroy them." Rights groups have called this message an act of "genocidal incitement".
Detainees expressed that they had extremely harsh living conditions, and the most extreme forms of torture, abuse, and degrading treatment were performed against them until the very end.
Since October 2023, over 47,000 Palestinians have lost their lives in Gaza, while more than 40,000 residents of the West Bank have been forced to flee their homes due to Israeli raids. Around 5,800 Palestinians remain in Israeli jails, many without trial. Rights groups argue that the mistreatment of prisoners is part of a larger strategy to erase Palestinian identity.
The United Nations has condemned Israel’s actions, describing them as "collective punishment and torture" under international law. Hamas, meanwhile, has notably differed from Israel’s brutality in its own treatment of Israeli captives, claiming they were cared for despite Gaza’s harsh conditions.
The Palestinian Prisoner's Society has condemned these actions, calling them systematic. They demand an independent investigation into the treatment of detainees and urge the international community to hold Israel accountable. As Palestinians continue to push for justice during ongoing ceasefire talks, the wounds of detention remain fresh. Hospitals are overwhelmed, and survivors face immense trauma, making recovery like a distant dream.