Palestinian detainees in Israeli prisons reportedly faced restrictions on access to drinking water during the ongoing conflict in Gaza, according to a report released Wednesday. The findings suggest a practice of denying water for periods up to 12 hours, which the report describes as potentially constituting collective punishment.
Report Details Restrictions
The report, compiled by the public defender’s office of the Israeli Justice Ministry, details that “security prisoners” were prevented from accessing drinking water for several hours, and in some instances, for half a day. These findings are based on inspections of Israeli prisons conducted throughout 2024.
Initial attempts to release the report were blocked by the state, which argued that publication could compromise national security while Israeli captives remained in Gaza. However, the Justice Ministry submitted six reports to the Association for Civil Rights in Israel on Tuesday, citing a change in circumstances.
Inspections conducted at Ketziot Prison in southern Israel in May, June, and September 2024 revealed that a policy of restricting water access was implemented in some prison wings. While the policy was reportedly halted before the September inspection, the report indicated that the denial of water was sometimes used as “collective punishment” and, in other cases, was a routine practice for nearly half the day.
Disputed Findings
The Israel Prison Service has denied the report’s claims, stating that prisoners were not deprived of drinking water or subjected to collective punishment. This denial follows previous reports from Haaretz detailing worsening conditions for Palestinian prisoners, including instances of hunger and insufficient food despite a court ruling.
In September, Israel’s Supreme Court acknowledged “indications the prison service was violating its obligation to provide basic living conditions for security prisoners,” specifically regarding sufficient and nutritionally adequate food. This ruling stemmed from a petition filed by the Association for Civil Rights in Israel and the human rights group Gisha, following changes to detention conditions introduced by National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir after the start of the war.
These changes applied to all Palestinian prisoners held in Israel, not just those captured during fighting in Gaza.
More than 10,000 Palestinian prisoners, including women and children, are currently held in Israeli prisons, and reports from Palestinian and Israeli sources indicate they face conditions including torture, starvation, and medical neglect.
Frequently Asked Questions
What prompted the release of these reports?
The Justice Ministry submitted the reports to the Association for Civil Rights in Israel on Tuesday, citing “changed circumstances” that now allowed for their release, after initially refusing to do so due to national security concerns.
Which prison was specifically inspected?
Public defender representatives conducted three visits to Ketziot Prison in southern Israel – in May, June, and September 2024 – to gather the findings included in the report.
What was the Supreme Court’s ruling regarding prison conditions?
In September, Israel’s Supreme Court ruled that there were “indications the prison service was violating its obligation to provide basic living conditions for security prisoners, including sufficient and nutritionally adequate food to maintain their health.”
Given the ongoing conflict and the contested nature of these reports, it remains to be seen whether further investigations will be conducted or if changes will be made to detention conditions. It is possible that continued legal challenges could lead to increased scrutiny of the Israel Prison Service, or that the current situation could persist.