Surge in Raids and Administrative Detentions
The Palestine Center for Prisoner Studies reported that Israeli occupation authorities maintained their strategy of widespread raids and arrests across the occupied West Bank and Jerusalem throughout August. The center recorded a total of 500 arrest cases during the month. This figure includes 31 minors under the age of eighteen and 11 women and girls. The organization emphasized that these actions are part of a broader campaign aimed at exhausting Palestinian human resources through monthly mass arrests and field interrogations targeting various demographics, with a specific focus on youth.
According to the report, security forces frequently invaded homes, destroying contents and detaining individuals in seized properties while evicting owners. Interrogations often lasted several hours before the release of most detainees, who were subjected to humiliation, physical abuse, and threats. Notably, some individuals were threatened with exclusion from future Palestinian elections if they were to take place. The center characterized these measures as collective punishment designed to suppress resistance and maintain control over the population.
Vulnerability of Women and Children
Among the 31 children arrested, the youngest was identified as Ibrahim Al-Jundi, aged 13, from Hebron. While some minors were released after brief questioning, others were transferred to detention centers, with administrative detention orders issued against several without formal charges. The arrest of 11 women and girls was largely linked to family connections with wanted individuals, prisoners, or martyrs. Specific cases included Ayat Al-Ashhab, mother of martyr Tahr Zikarna; Arwa Matrouk, wife of administrative detainee Ahmad Matrouk; and Dima Amin, a female doctor from Ramallah who was detained despite suffering from severe health issues requiring cardiac intervention.
Prisoner Deaths and Release Statistics
The center updated the list of martyrs within the prison system, stating that 91 prisoners have died since October 7, 2023. This count follows the Israeli authorities’ acknowledgment of the death of Ehab Diab, a 36-year-old from Gaza, who succumbed to torture after his arrest in December 2023. The organization noted that Diab had no pre-existing conditions and that his death was concealed for over two years, suggesting that dozens of other prisoners from Gaza remain subject to enforced disappearance policies.
Additionally, the report highlighted an increase in administrative detention decisions, with over 700 orders issued or renewed based solely on Shin Bet recommendations, without specifying charges. Some prisoners serving fixed sentences were converted to administrative detention upon completion of their terms. Conversely, Israeli forces released 115 prisoners from Gaza in August, including many workers who suffered from severe physical and psychological trauma due to starvation and mistreatment during captivity.
