Israel is holding more than 2,800 Palestinians without charges or trial in so-called administrative detention, the highest number in over three decades, an Israeli human rights group said Friday. The number of administrative detainees increased by 800 in just a month and they now make up close to 40% of all Palestinians held by Israel, said HaMoked, which gets the statistics from the Israel Prison Service.
Quick Read
- Increase in Administrative Detentions: Israel is currently detaining over 2,800 Palestinians without charges or trial under administrative detention, the highest in more than 30 years.
- Significant Rise in Detainees: The number of administrative detainees has risen by 800 in just one month, representing nearly 40% of all Palestinians detained by Israel.
- Secret Allegations: The specific allegations against these detainees are often kept secret, hindering their ability to defend themselves effectively.
- Criticism of the Practice: Human rights groups have criticized administrative detention as a violation of due process, with detentions ranging from months to years and often extended without clear reasons.
- Israel’s Stance: Israel defends the practice as essential for preventing attacks by Palestinian militants and argues that keeping allegations secret is necessary to protect the safety of its sources.
- Context of the Increase: The surge in administrative detentions follows the Israel-Hamas war, with frequent raids in Palestinian communities leading to numerous arrests.
- Overall Palestinian Prisoners: The total number of Palestinian security prisoners in Israeli custody is 7,677, an increase of about 700 in a month.
- Prisoner Release Under Truce: Recently, 240 Palestinian women and minors were released as part of a truce deal with Hamas, which also released over 100 hostages in Gaza.
- Trigger for Israel-Hamas War: The war between Israel and Hamas was initiated by a deadly Hamas attack on southern Israel on October 7.
The Associated Press has the story:
Israeli human rights group: Israel holds 2,800 Palestinians without charges
Newslooks- JERUSALEM (AP)
Israel is holding more than 2,800 Palestinians without charges or trial in so-called administrative detention, the highest number in over three decades, an Israeli human rights group said Friday.
The number of administrative detainees increased by 800 in just a month and they now make up close to 40% of all Palestinians held by Israel, said HaMoked, which gets the statistics from the Israel Prison Service.
Israeli authorities often keep the allegations against the detainees secret, preventing them from mounting an informed defense.
Rights groups say the practice amounts to a serious violation of due process. The detentions can range from a few months to years, and authorities often extend them for unknown reasons.
Israel says administrative detention is an important tool in its arsenal to prevent attacks by Palestinian militants, and that the allegations must be kept secret to protect the safety of its sources.
Since the start of the Israel-Hamas war two months ago, the number of administrative detainees has more than doubled, as near-nightly raids into Palestinian communities across the occupied West Bank and Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem bring in hundreds of Palestinians on suspicion of association with militant groups or incitement on social media.
The total number of Palestinian security prisoners in Israeli prisons is now 7,677, up roughly 700 in one month, HaMoked said. Over the past week, 240 Palestinian women and minors were released by Israel as part of a truce deal with Hamas, which in turn freed more than 100 hostages it held in Gaza.
The Israel-Hamas war was triggered by a deadly Oct. 7 Hamas attack on southern Israel.
