RAMALLAH (Palestine Foundation Information Center) The Palestinian Prisoner Society (PPS) said Israeli occupation authorities have transformed the administrative detention order into more like a life sentence, in a form of a crime that steals the lives of thousands of detainees under the pretext of the so called “the secret file”, keeping detainees indefinitely subjected to this injustice.
According to a statement by PPS on Monday, the issue of administrative detainees has become one of the most significant developments accompanying the ongoing war. As of early January 2025, the number of administrative detainees has risen to 3,376, including approximately 95 children and 22 women. This group represents 32% of the total Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails, which exceeds 10,400 individuals.
Administrative detention escalated
The PPS pointed out that this is the highest proportion of administrative detainees in history, based on monitoring and documentation by human rights organizations. The surge in administrative detention began even before the current aggression and has since escalated dramatically. Prior to the war, there were 1,320 administrative detainees, a number that has now nearly tripled.
It also explained that administrative detainees are exposed, as well as all the prisoners, to systematic crimes including torture, starvation, and medical neglect, which led to the martyrdom of a number of them. Since the Israeli war on Gaza began in October 2023, 54 prisoners have died in Israeli custody, four of whom were under administrative detention: Omar Daraghmeh, Samih Alawi, Mohammad al-Sabbagh, and Mustafa Abu Ara.
It further elaborated that administrative detention cases typically increase during wars and uprisings in the occupied territories, noting that Israeli occupation authorities frequently use this measure as a tool of oppression and intimidation, with detention orders being renewed for detainees who have completed their initial detention terms, essentially extending their sentences without charge or trial.
According to Israeli military orders, the administrative detention order can be renewed to unlimited times, and it is issued for a maximum renewable period of six months, affecting all Palestinians including university students, journalists, women, and former deputies in the Legislative Council, human rights activists, workers, lawyers, mothers and former detainees.
The PPS highlighted the case of the administrative detainee and journalist Nidal Abu Aker, stressing that he has been detained for two years and four months, and when he had completed his last renewed four months, his administrative detention order was renewed once again on the last day of his previous detention order.
