As the dust settles over a fragile ceasefire in Gaza, the spotlight is shifting to an issue that has long simmered beneath the surface: the fate of Palestinians held in Israeli prisons and the complex web of policies, abuses, and international politics that surrounds them. With more than 11,100 Palestinians currently detained, including at least 400 children and 350 women, Israel’s prison system is facing renewed scrutiny from human rights organizations and the global community alike.
The recent ceasefire, brokered by Türkiye, Qatar, and Egypt, brought with it a high-profile prisoner exchange between Israel and Hamas. While thousands of Palestinians were released, the story doesn’t end there. According to Al Jazeera, thousands more remain behind bars, and the machinery of arrests grinds on, with Israeli authorities reportedly conducting over 100 detentions per day at the height of the recent conflict escalation. For many Palestinian families, the wait for news about loved ones continues, underscoring the enduring impact of detention on daily life, resistance, and hope in the region.
Human rights groups have long accused Israel’s prison system of systemic abuses. Reports from the UN Human Rights Office, Amnesty International, and the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights paint a grim picture: detainees, including children, are often held under “administrative detention” – a policy that allows imprisonment without charge or trial. Independent monitors like the International Committee of the Red Cross are frequently denied access, making it difficult to assess the full extent of the situation. The result, according to these organizations, is a system that has become a “laboratory” for human rights violations.
Allegations of torture and mistreatment are widespread. Former detainees and advocacy groups describe a litany of abuses: physical and psychological pressure, sleep deprivation, forced nudity, and even intentional medical neglect. The numbers are sobering. Since 1967, 315 Palestinian detainees have died in Israeli custody, with causes of death including denial of medical care, extreme torture, and starvation. None of these cases, activists say, have resulted in criminal prosecution.
Some detention sites have become infamous in their own right. The Sde Teiman military base, for example, has been dubbed the “Guantanamo of the Middle East” by Human Rights Watch and former prisoners alike. At least 36 deaths have been reported there, with hundreds more held in harsh, isolated conditions. Other facilities, such as Ketziot and Damon prisons, face similar allegations of abuse and neglect.
A particularly troubling aspect is the treatment of Palestinian children. According to BBC and other sources, 500 to 700 children are arrested each year, often prosecuted in military courts. The charges can be as minor as stone-throwing, yet sentences can stretch up to 20 years. The psychological toll on these young detainees—and on their families—cannot be overstated.
The prisoner exchange that accompanied the ceasefire was not just about numbers; it revealed deeper layers of controversy and complexity. According to a report by Israeli watchdog Palestinian Media Watch (PMW), 160 out of the 250 Palestinian prisoners released under the agreement have become millionaires through payments from the Palestinian Authority (PA). These payments, totaling nearly $70 million for the 250 released prisoners, are part of a longstanding PA policy that provides salaries and stipends to Palestinians convicted of terrorism, with higher payments for longer sentences. Critics, especially in Israel, have dubbed this a “pay-for-slay” scheme, arguing that it incentivizes violence.
Some of the released prisoners were high-profile figures. Mohammed and Abdul Jawad Shamasneh, convicted of multiple murders, received a combined total of $550,000 over 33 years. Eyad Abu al-Rub, a senior Palestinian Islamic Jihad commander, received at least $318,000 during his incarceration. Imad Qawasmeh, a Hamas operative sentenced for planning deadly suicide bombings, took in $339,000. The list goes on, with payments often coming from international aid funneled through the Palestinian government.
Responding to mounting international criticism and pressure for reform, Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas issued a presidential decree in February 2025 that fundamentally altered the framework for these payments. The new directive cancels previous laws governing stipends for prisoners, “martyrs,” and the wounded, transferring responsibility to the newly established Palestinian Economic Empowerment Fund. This fund, governed by a board of trustees appointed by Abbas, is charged with providing social welfare to all Palestinian families without discrimination. It operates under legal mandates, transparent procedures, and is subject to administrative and financial oversight—including monitoring by international institutions—to ensure fair distribution and transparency.
Officials in Ramallah describe the move as part of a broader effort to bolster the Palestinian Authority’s legal standing at the United Nations and other international forums. The aim, they say, is to advance the cause of international recognition and full state membership, particularly in the wake of the war in Gaza and the West Bank, which has dramatically increased the number of families in need of social support and empowerment.
Yet, for many Palestinians, the reality on the ground remains unchanged. As Al Jazeera notes, even as some prisoners taste freedom, the cycle of arrests and detentions continues, casting a long shadow over Palestinian society. Detention is not just a legal or political issue—it’s a deeply personal one, shaping the rhythms of daily life and the contours of resistance. Families wait anxiously for news of loved ones. Children grow up with the ever-present threat of arrest. Hope, in this context, becomes both a form of resistance and a fragile commodity.
The international community faces a thorny dilemma. On one hand, there is growing pressure to address the systemic abuses documented in Israeli prisons, ensure the rights of detainees, and uphold international legal norms. On the other, the ongoing practice of financial rewards for convicted attackers raises difficult questions about the incentives created by such policies and their impact on prospects for peace.
As the ceasefire holds—at least for now—the fate of thousands of Palestinian detainees remains at the heart of the conflict’s unresolved tensions. The stories emerging from Israel’s prisons, the controversial payments from the Palestinian Authority, and the reforms now underway all underscore just how deeply intertwined questions of justice, resistance, and survival have become in this decades-old struggle. The world is watching, but for those caught in the system, the wait for true freedom—and accountability—goes on.
