RAMALLAH, (PIC)
New Israeli data has revealed a dramatic surge in the number of Palestinian prisoners, particularly minors, placed in solitary confinement inside Israeli prisons since 2023, amid growing warnings from rights groups over the psychological and physical impact of the practice.
According to figures published by Physicians for Human Rights-Israel, obtained from the Israeli Prison Service through a freedom of information request, the number of Palestinian minors transferred to solitary confinement in Israeli jails rose from just one child prisoner in 2022 to 50 in 2023, before soaring to 290 minors during 2024.
The data also showed that the number of adult Palestinian prisoners placed in isolation nearly tripled in 2024 compared with the previous year, reaching 4,493 detainees. The number of female prisoners held in solitary confinement also climbed sharply, from two women in 2022 to 25 in 2024.
Israeli prison authorities classify solitary confinement into two categories: punitive isolation, officially limited to 14 days, and “deterrent” isolation, which can last for six months and be repeatedly renewed. According to the Israeli newspaper Haaretz, most documented cases fall under punitive isolation, though the measure is often implemented collectively.
Human rights advocates describe solitary confinement as a form of cruel punishment that amounts to torture, warning of its severe mental and physical consequences for prisoners.
Studies and medical research have linked prolonged isolation to acute psychological disorders, including suicidal thoughts, identity disturbances, memory problems, hallucinations and severe anxiety, in addition to physical illnesses caused by confinement inside cramped, closed cells equipped only with basic toilet facilities.
The escalation in the use of solitary confinement comes amid an unprecedented tightening of conditions for Palestinian prisoners since 7 October 2023.
Former detainees and lawyers have reported severe food shortages, violent assaults by prison guards, bans on books and personal belongings, as well as the spread of skin diseases inside prisons.
Oneg Ben Dror from the prisoners’ department at Physicians for Human Rights-Israel said solitary confinement had shifted from an exceptional measure to a routine tool increasingly used against Palestinian children and women.
She warned that the dramatic rise in its use raises serious concerns over human rights violations and the long-term psychological and physical wellbeing of Palestinian prisoners.
The Israeli Prison Service, meanwhile, claimed its policies are aimed at maintaining order and discipline inside prisons, asserting that disciplinary measures are carried out in accordance with Israeli law.
