Palestinian institutions specializing in prisoner affairs announced that the Israeli occupation authorities continue to detain more than 9600 Palestinian prisoners in their prisons until the beginning of April 2026. These statistics are based on official data issued by the Prisons Administration, documented in a joint statement by the Palestinian Prisoner's Club, Addameer Foundation, and the Commission of Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs affiliated with the Palestine Liberation Organization.
The human rights report clarified that among the total prisoners, there are at least 84 women and about 350 minor children, with most children being detained in 'Megiddo' and 'Ofer' prisons. These figures reflect the continued policy of targeting the most vulnerable groups in Palestinian society and their disappearance behind bars in harsh conditions that lack the lowest international standards.
In a significant development, the number of administrative detainees recorded an unprecedented jump to 3532 detainees, which is the highest percentage compared to categories of sentenced or awaiting trial prisoners. Administrative detention is a punitive policy practiced without clear charges or fair trials, turning hundreds of Palestinians into hostages of military intelligence decisions.
The sources also revealed the presence of 1251 detainees classified as 'unlawful combatants,' a law used by the occupation to legitimize the detention of Palestinians for long periods without effective judicial oversight. The institutions confirmed that this number does not include all detainees from the Gaza Strip who are held in secret camps belonging to the Israeli army, away from human rights monitoring.
The data indicated that this controversial legal classification now also includes Arab detainees of Lebanese and Syrian nationalities, without disclosing their exact numbers. Human rights organizations warned against the systematic expansion in the use of these legal designations to circumvent the basic rights of prisoners guaranteed by the Geneva Conventions and international humanitarian law.
Since October 8, 2023, human rights sources have monitored a dangerous escalation in the pace of violations inside prisons, including systematic torture, starvation policies, and deliberate medical neglect. These repressive measures have led to the martyrdom of dozens of prisoners inside detention centers, amid international accusations against the occupation of committing crimes that may amount to genocide.
The number of administrative detainees reached about 3532 people, which is the highest percentage compared to convicted and awaiting trial prisoners.
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Human Rights Institutions: Occupation Detains 9600 Palestinian Prisoners, Including Hundreds of Children and Women