Colonial carcerality and systematic torture: An analysis of Israeli detention practices post-October 7th, 2023
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.7146/torture.v35i2.157357Keywords:
Palestinian prisoners, torture, Occupying State Israel, detentionAbstract
Introduction: This paper examines Israeli detention practices since 7 October 2023 as a system of colonial carcerality that normalises torture and ill-treatment, benchmarking findings against the Nelson Mandela Rules, the Geneva Conventions, CAT, and the ICCPR.
Materials and methods: We analysed 917 testimonies gathered by Addameer (Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association) through lawyers’ prison visits and post-release interviews (7 Oct 2023–30 Jun 2025) from Sde Teiman, Ofer, Damon, Naqab, Megiddo, and other sites. Testimonies were thematically coded (techniques, frequency/severity, setting, health sequelae) and mapped to applicable international and Israeli law; descriptive counts tracked change over time.
Results: We present the results according to types of abuse: starvation and deliberate food deprivation, extreme overcrowding, prolonged solitary confinement, sexual violence/forced stripping, systematic medical neglect, pervasive shackling/blindfolding and denial of hygiene. Intensification coincided with the expansion of camp-like facilities and emergency amendments to the Law on the Incarceration of Unlawful Combatants (prolonged incommunicado detention and delayed judicial review). Reported torture/ill-treatment rose across periods: late-2023 73/91 testimonies; 2024: 500/628 (including 343 from Gaza); Jan–Jun 2025: 184/198. Health impacts included acute injuries, infections, malnutrition, and sustained psychological harm.
Discussion: Convergent qualitative and legal evidence indicates an integrated policy rather than isolated violations, which contravenes binding norms on humane treatment, medical care, food, water, and protection from torture. We recommend: (1) independent monitoring with unimpeded access; (2) suspension of measures enabling incommunicado detention; (3) immediate compliance with minimum standards of care and nutrition; and (4) criminal accountability for torture and ill-treatment.
References
Getty Images (1948): “POW Camp No 101”. https://www.gettyimages.fr/detail/ photo-d%27actualit%C3%A9/camp-101-aprisoner-of-war-camp-outside-jerusalem-photodactualit%C3%A9/96377567 2 Abu Sitta, S. and Rempel, T. (2014, October): “The ICRC and the Detention of Palestinian Civilians in Israel’s 1948 POW/Labor Camps”. Palestine Land Society. https://www.plands.org/en/articles-speeches/ articles/2014/the-icrc-and-the-detention-of-palestiniancivilians 3 Israel: “Israel Prison Service”, Goverment of Israel. https://www.gov.il/en/departments/prison_service/govillanding-page 4 Israel: “Israel Security Agency”. Goverment of Israel: https://www.shabak.gov.il/en#=1 5 United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). (2023). Gaza 2023: Protection of civilians report. Retrieved from https://www. unocha.org/middle-east-and-north-africa-roster/gaza 6 Addameer - Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association (2025): Sde Teiman camp, https://addameer. ps/media/5499 7 Addameer Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association (2025): Ofer Camp, https://addameer.ps/ media/5508 8 Addameer Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association (2025): Anatot Camp, https://addameer.ps/ media/5516 9 Addameer Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association. (2024). Annual report on Palestinian prisoners in Israeli detention. Addameer. Retrieved from https:// www.addameer.org/reports B´Tselem (2024, August): Welcome to Hell. The Israeli Prison System as a Network of Torture Camps. P. 16. https://www.btselem.org/sites/default/files/ publications/202408_welcome_to_hell_eng.pdf 10 Amnesty International. (2024). Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories: Arbitrary detention and human rights abuses. Retrieved from https://www.amnesty.org/ en/latest/reports/mde15 11 Addameer’s (2023, January 31):The impact of Israel’s New Ultranationalist Government on the Palestinian prisoner Movement. https://www.addameer.org/media/4978 12 Israel (2002): Incarceration of Unlawful Combatants Law, 5762-2002, State of Israel.: https:// www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Politics/ IncarcerationLaw.pdf or https://perma.cc/QG7J-S2PB in Hebrew 13 Addameer - Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association. (2023, October). Israeli authorities escalate collective punishment on Palestinian prisoners. Addameer. https://www.addameer.org/news/2023/10/israeliauthorities-escalate-collective-punishment-palestinianprisoner; ; Addameer. (2023, October). Palestinian prisoners endure collective punishment following October 7 events. Addameer.https://www.addameer.org/ news/2023/10/palestinian-prisoners-endure-collectivepunishment; Addameer. (2023, November). Israeli prison raids and detainee conditions: Situation update. Addameer. https://www.addameer.org/news/2023/11/israeli-prisonraids-detainee-conditions 14 Physicians for Human Rights – Israel (February 2024), “Systematic violation of human rights. The incarceration conditions of Palestinians in Israel since October 7”, p.11. https://www.phr.org.il/wp-content/ uploads/2024/02/5845_Imprisoned_Paper_Eng.pdf 15 Addameer (2024, March): Escalating Oppression: Israel’s Systematic Violations Intensify in Palestine Post-October 7, 2023, https://www.un.org/unispal/wp-content/ uploads/2024/04/Sahar-Francis.pdf B´Tselem (2024, August): Wellcome to hell, cited. 16 United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners, rule 22.1; article 5 of the Resolution on the Right to Food and Nutrition in Africa. 17 Addameer Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association. (2023). Administrative detention and Palestinian prisoners’ rights. Addameer. https://www. addameer.org/issues/administrative-detention; B’Tselem – The Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories. (2022). Prisoners and detainees in Israel: Conditions and treatment. B’Tselem. https:// www.btselem.org/prisoners ; Human Rights Watch. (2022). Israel/Palestine: Administrative detention and prisoners’ rights. Human Rights Watch. https://www. hrw.org/middle-east/n-africa/israel/palestine; Amnesty International. (2021). Israel and occupied Palestinian territories: Human rights of detainees. Amnesty International. https://www.amnesty.org/en/location/ middle-east-and-north-africa/israel-and-occupiedpalestinian-territories/ 18 United Nations General Assembly. (2015). United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (the Nelson Mandela Rules). https:// www.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/Documents/ ProfessionalInterest/NelsonMandelaRules.pdf. 19 Addameer Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association. (2023, October). Palestinian prisoners endure collective punishment following October 7 events. Addameer. https://www.addameer.org/news/2023/10/ palestinian-prisoners-endure-collective-punishment 20 American Heart Association. (2022). “Added sugars”. Circulation, 126(20), 1010–1020.https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/ CIR.0000000000000233; alder, P. C., et al. (2020). “Nutrition and immune function”. British Journal of Nutrition, 124(10), 1037–1053. https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/britishjournal-of-nutrition/article/nutrition-and-immunefunction/BB776F28EC28B0D8F869B3F2BC6F5443 21 FAO/WHO/UNU Expert Consultation. (2007). “Protein and amino acid requirements in human nutrition”. https://www.fao.org/3/a0753e/a0753e00.htm; Paddon-Jones, D., & Leidy, H. (2014). “Protein, weight management, and satiety”. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 99(5), 1185S–1191S. https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/ article/99/5/1185S/4577513 22 Mahan, L. K., Raymond, J. L. (2020). Krause’s Food & the Nutrition Care Process, 15th Edition. Elsevier. 23 Physicians for Human Rights – Israel. (2023). “Health and human rights of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli detention”. PHRI. https://www.phr.org.il/en/healthand-human-rights-palestinian-prisoners-israeli-detention; Physicians for Human Rights – Israel. (2023, October). “Urgent alert: Palestinian prisoners’ conditions deteriorate after October 7”. PHRI. https://www.phr. org.il/en/urgent-alert-palestinian-prisoners-conditionsoctober-2023/ 24 https://www.addameer.org/sites/default/files/ publications/mdl-tqryr_lnthkt_2020.pdf 25 United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (2025, February 13): Human rights situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and the obligation to ensure accountability and justice, A/ HRC/58/28, paras. 43-45. A/HRC/58/28 https://docs. un.org/en/ 26 B´Tselem (2024, August): Welcome to Hell. The Israeli Prison System as a Network of Torture Camps, cited. Pag. 27. 27 United Nations Committee Against Torture. (2015). Consideration of reports submitted by States parties under article 19 of the Convention: Israel (CAT/C/ ISR/3). United Nations. https://docs.un.org/en/ CAT/C/ISR/CO/5 ; Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (2024, July 31): Detention in the context of the escalation of hostilities in Gaza (October 2023-June 2024), paras. 34-35 and 37. https://www.un.org/unispal/wp-content/ uploads/2024/07/20240731-Thematic-report-Detentioncontext-Gaza-hostilities.pdf 28 United Nations Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture. (2012). Country visit report: Brazil, CAT/OP/BRA/1 and United Nations Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture. (2014). Country visit report: Mali, CAT/OP/ MLI/1. 29 UN General Assembly. (2015). United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (the Nelson Mandela Rules). A/RES/70/175. Online: https://www.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/Documents/ ProfessionalInterest/ NelsonMandelaRules.pdf 30 United Nations Human Rights Council. (2025). Report of the independent international commission of inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory. https://www. un.org/unispal/document/report-of-the-independentinternational-commission-of-inquiry-on-the-occupiedpalestinian-territory-including-east-jerusalem-and-israel-ahrc-59-26/ 31 Israel (2002): Commission Ordinance No 04.13 00. Disciplinary Offenses for prisoners, State of Israel, https:// www.gov.il/BlobFolder/policy/041300/ar/04.13.00%20-%20תיברעב02%םיריסאל02%יתעמשמ02%ןיד.pdf 32 Israel (1971): Prison Ordinance, State of Israel. Retrieved from Hamoked: https://hamoked.org/files/2013/1855_ eng.pdf 33 Military Court Watch. (2021). Report on the detention of Palestinian children. Military Court Watch. https://www. militarycourtwatch.org 34 Amnesty International (2023, May 3): “Death of Khader Adnan highlights Israel’s cruel treatment of Palestinian prisoners”, Amnesty International, https://www.amnesty. org/en/latest/news/2023/05/israel-opt-death-of-khaderadnan-highlights-israels-cruel-treatment-of-palestinianprisoners/ 35 UN Human Rights Office (2024, December 31): Thematic Report - Attacks on hospitals during the escalation of hostilities in Gaza (7 October 2023 - 30 June 2024), https://www.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/documents/ countries/opt/20241231-attacks-hospitals-gaza-en.pdf 36 Human Rights Watch (2024, August 26): “Israel: Palestinian Healthcare Workers Tortured”, https://www. hrw.org/news/2024/08/26/israel-palestinian-healthcareworkers-tortured 37 Hamoked (2025, January 8): “HaMoked to the Military Advocate General: incarceration conditions at Ofer military camp do not meet the minimum standard required and constitute torture”, Hamoked, https://hamoked.org/ document.php?dID=Updates2431 38 Addameer Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association (2024, March): Escalating Oppression..., cited. 39 International Committee of the Red Cross. (1949). Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949 and their Additional Protocols. Articles 29 and 30, https://www. icrc.org/en/law-and-policy/geneva-conventions-andtheir-commentaries#text940076 40 International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). (1977). Protocol Additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949, and relating to the Protection of Victims of International Armed Conflicts (Protocol I). International Committee of the Red Cross, Article 11.2, https://ihl-databases.icrc.org/en/ihl-treaties/ api-1977 41 ICRC (2014): “Sexual Violence in Armed Conflict: A Violation of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights Law”, International Review of the Red Cross. https://international-review.icrc.org/sites/default/ files/12825_-sexual_violence_in_armed_conflicts-_ opt_05.pdf 42 Addameer. (2023). Report on conditions of Palestinian detainees in Israeli detention [PDF]. Addameer. https:// www.addameer.org/publications; B’Tselem – The Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories. (2023). Detention and abuse of Palestinian detainees in Israeli prisons. B’Tselem. https://www. btselem.org/publications; Al Mezan Center for Human Rights. (2023). Annual report on human rights violations in Gaza. Al Mezan. https://www.mezan.org/en/ publications; Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel (2025, March 13): “More than a human can bear”: Israel’s systematic use of sexual, reproductive and other forms of gender-based violence since 7 October 2023, paras. 115-123, https://www.ohchr. org/sites/default/files/documents/hrbodies/hrcouncil/ sessions-regular/session58/a-hrc-58-crp-6.pdf 43 Addameer. (2023). Report on conditions of Palestinian detainees in Israeli detention, cited; Al Mezan Center for Human Rights. (2023). Annual report on human rights violations in Gaza. cited; Human Rights Watch. “Israel: Detainees Face Inhumane Treatment”. 23 July 2024. https://www.hrw.org/news/2024/07/23/israel-detaineesface-inhumane-treatment 44 BBC (2025, February 6): “Israeli soldier jailed for abusing Palestinian detainees from Gaza”, https://www.bbc.com/ news/articles/cqldpyn5ng6o 45 Addameer Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association (2025): Sde Teiman Camp, cited. 46 B´Tselem (2024, August): Wellcome to hell, cited. 47 Addameer. (2023). Palestinian prisoners: Annual report on conditions of detention. Addameer. https://www.addameer. org/publication; B’Tselem – The Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories. (2023). Detention and abuse..., cited. 48 International Forensic Expert Group. “Statement on hooding”, Torture Journal, 21. 186-189. https://irct.org/ wp-content/uploads/2022/08/IFEG-Statement-onHooding.pdf; Kastrup M.: “Psychiatric Examination of Torture Victims”. Torture 1992;1; https://irct.org/ wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Volume-2-No.-1supplementum.pdf 49 Scott GD, Gendreau P. Psychiatric implications of sensory deprivation in a maximum security prison. Can Psychiatr Assoc J. 1969 Aug;14(4):337-41. doi: 10.1177/070674376901400404. PMID: 5811243 50 International Forensic Expert Group. (2011). Cited. 51 Danish Institute Against Torture, “Factsheet Collection: Health #19 sensory Deprivation”, November 2022 https:// dignity.dk/wp-content/uploads/sensory-deprivationfactsheet-english.pdf 52 Addameer Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association (2025): Ofer Camp. https://addameer.ps/ media/5508 53 The Association for Civil Rights in Israel (2024, July 21): “Scabies Epidemic in Prisons”, https://www.english.acri. org.il/post/scabies-epidemic-in-prisons 54 Hamamra, Bilal & Uebel, Michael. (2024). “The Spread of Scabies among Palestinian Prisoners in Israeli Prisons”, https://www.researchgate.net/publication/386279674_ The_Spread_of_Scabies_among_Palestinian_Prisoners_ in_Israeli_Prisons 55 Addameer Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association (2024, March): Escalating Oppression..., cited. B´Tselem (2024, August): Wellcome to hell..., cited.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Torture Journal
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
We accept that some authors (e.g. government employees in some countries) are unable to transfer copyright. The Creative Commons Licence Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0) covers both the Torture Journal and the IRCT web site. The publisher will not put any limitation on the personal freedom of the author to use material contained in the paper in other works which may be published, provided that acknowledgement is made to the original place of publication.
