The Captivity of Numerous Palestinians in Israeli Prisons without Any Charges

Yazen Alhasnat, a 17-year-old from Bethlehem, has been released from prison after nearly five months of being held under "administrative detention" by the Israeli state. Administrative detention is a security policy that allows Israel to imprison individuals indefinitely without presenting any evidence or charging them. Yazen and two other teenagers were released as part of a recent exchange for hostages held by Hamas in Gaza. However, during this same period, Israel has increased the number of people in administrative detention to over 2,800, the highest rate in years. Israeli authorities have instructed the families of those released not to publicly celebrate or talk to the media, but many families still want to bring attention to the issue. Israel argues that its use of administrative detention complies with international law and is necessary to combat terrorism. However, human rights groups believe that Israel's expansive use of this measure is an abuse of security laws and denies detainees the ability to effectively defend themselves. Palestinians in the West Bank, including children, are primarily subjected to administrative detention, while Israeli settlers are rarely targeted. During the detention process, administrative detainees are granted a hearing in a military court, but the state is not required to disclose any evidence against them. Detainees can be sentenced to up to six months, but this can be prolonged indefinitely, leaving them uncertain about their release date. The detainees can appeal up to Israel's Supreme Court, but without access to evidence, it is challenging to build a defense. Palestinians formally tried in military courts have slightly more access to evidence, but the courts have a high conviction rate. Yazen's mother emphasized that Israel's use of administrative detention "crossed all lines," creating a parallel system of justice. Other detainees have reported physical abuse while in custody. Yazen, Osama, and Musa, who were all released early due to the hostage exchange, described how conditions deteriorated after an attack by Hamas, leading to collective punishment within the prison. Despite their release, there are still 2,873 people held under administrative detention in Israeli jails. The uncertainty of potentially being arrested again has created its own form of psychological detention for these young Palestinians.