How many prisoners does Israel hold in its prisons? Shocking numbers until early 2026

A report issued by Palestinian prisoner institutions stated that the Israeli occupation authorities are holding more than 9,350 Palestinian prisoners and detainees in their prisons, as of early January 2026, amid escalating policies of detention without charges, and detention conditions described as inhumane.

The report, issued today, Monday, and based on data from the Palestinian Prisoner's Club, Al-Dameer Foundation, and the Commission of Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs affiliated with the Palestine Liberation Organization, in addition to what was announced by the occupation prison administration, clarified that among the prisoners are 53 female prisoners, including two children. It added that the number of child prisoners reached 350 children, held by the occupation in Megiddo and Ofer prisons.

According to the data, about 50 percent of the total prisoners and detainees are held without charges, such as administrative detention or under the category of "unlawful combatants." The report indicated that the number of administrative detainees reached 3,385 detainees without charges, and they alone constitute more than 36 percent of the total number of prisoners.

Israel uses what is known as "administrative detention," a law dating back to the British era, which allows the detention of Palestinians without trial, based on what security agencies describe as secret files, for periods ranging from 3 to 6 months, renewable indefinitely. Israel classified 1,237 detainees under the designation of "unlawful combatants," a definition that does not include all detainees from the Gaza Strip held in Israeli army camps, and also includes Arab detainees from Lebanon and Syria.

The report stressed that the continuation of administrative detention and detention without trial reflects a systematic Israeli policy that contradicts international laws and norms related to prisoners' rights.

In a related context, the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) said in a statement issued on Monday that Palestinian prisoners in occupation prisons face inhumane conditions, describing it as a full-fledged crime, amid international silence. The movement added that the occupation authorities boast of serious violations committed against prisoners, while continuing to conceal the true numbers of detainees from the Gaza Strip and reveal their fate.

Coinciding with the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip, which began in October 2023, Israel, according to human rights organizations, escalated its violations against Palestinian prisoners, especially Gaza detainees, through starvation, torture, medical neglect, and holding them in harsh conditions. Recently released prisoners spoke of extremely difficult detention conditions, confirming that they were subjected to abuse and starvation, and that signs of torture appeared on their bodies, in addition to some of them suffering from psychological disorders as a result of what they were exposed to during their detention.