Number of Palestinians detained in West Bank since start of Gaza war passes 7,000

According to the document, there are over 220 women and about 440 children among those detained. At least eight Palestinians have died in Israeli prisons.

“The ongoing arrest campaigns since October 7 has been accompanied by escalating crimes and violations, including: acts of abuse, severe beatings, and threats against detainees and their families, in addition to widespread sabotage and destruction of citizens’ homes, confiscation of vehicles, money, and gold jewelry,” the report added.

There were more than 9,000 Palestinians in Israeli prisons in total as of the end of December 2023.

Israel has pounded the Gaza Strip since an Oct. 7 attack by the Palestinian group Hamas, killing at least 28,500 people and injuring 68,000 others. Around 1,200 Israelis are believed to have been killed in the initial Hamas attack.

The Israeli war on Gaza has pushed 85% of the territory’s population into internal displacement amid acute shortages of food, clean water and medicine, while 60% of the enclave’s infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to the UN.

Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice, which in an interim ruling in January ordered Tel Aviv to stop genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.