Majdi al Darini believed he would follow the evacuation order and leave his home. Moving away from the north loop and southern paths of the residential district seemed essential to protect a life at risk. After a war lasting many weeks, the 50-year-old Gazan, a father of four and a retired public servant, began the journey with his family in mid-November. Yet as they walked, he was halted. His hands stayed still, bound for 40 days and 40 nights. The marks from the knots lingered, a brutal reminder of the ordeal endured under detainment. The pressure of the restraints cut his wrists, and the harsh conditions of confinement left wounds and scabs that spoke to his suffering. Across Gaza’s population, thousands faced similar ordeals.
From the earliest days of the ground operation in late October, numerous videos circulated showing Palestinian men, sometimes in their underwear, sitting outside in the cold, often blindfolded. Women and children appeared in some clips as well. People stood in lines on streets amid rubble and exposure, trying to shield themselves from the chill. Some were transported in trucks, treated like livestock. A portion were released and shared accounts of their journey. In response, Ajith Sunghay, Head of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in the occupied Palestinian territories, condemned the treatment by Israeli authorities. He noted that detainees had been held in unknown locations from 30 to 55 days, subjected to beating, humiliation, and ill treatment, and questioned whether such acts could constitute torture.
Accounts of the Israeli army’s conduct toward elderly detainees emerged in circulating testimonies. Reports describe beatings, dismemberment, and whipping with sticks and electrical devices. Elders in Gaza, who deserve respect, faced deeply disturbing treatment during these episodes, which drew wide attention on human rights platforms and social channels alike.
A large number of human rights groups, alongside voices from inside and outside Palestine, joined the calls for accountability. The Israeli army’s official numbers suggested around 2,300 detainees in Gaza, though those released and others observing the situation indicated the real total could be far higher. One detainee recalled that Israeli authorities had communicated an approximate arrival while another noted a larger figure of about 7,000 detainees in Gaza. The Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor, based in Geneva, highlighted additional cases involving patients from Al Maamdani and Al Shifa hospitals in Gaza City, including 99 medical staff and eight journalists who were detained. Weeks have passed, and many remain unheard, their whereabouts still unknown.
children and women
In October, the first month of the conflict, Israeli authorities warned that those who did not evacuate areas under order might be labeled as supporters of Hamas and could be arrested. The UN special rapporteur Francesca Albanese cautioned that declaring non-evacuated civilians complicit in terrorism risks collective punishment and could amount to punitive measures in violation of international norms. Even those who fled did not have guaranteed safety. Darini followed the evacuation order and still faced detention. A government spokesperson later described detentions of those deemed to be of military age in the Gaza area. Throughout these rounds, children and women appeared among the detainees.
One young witness described the experience of arrest in Gaza: soldiers forced him to remove his clothes, ignored privacy, and bound his hands and feet with plastic restraints. He was crammed into a harsh facility, assaulted from all sides, and given minimal food. The swelling in his hands and the visible marks persisted for days. The testimony of this minor echoed the stories of many adults who managed to escape. Israeli media coverage later revealed reports of abuses in various camps, including conditions near Beersheba and Sde Teiman. Investigations were announced concerning the detainees who had died, with officials claiming they were linked to terrorist activity, though many questions about the deaths persisted.
enforced disappearance
The detention centers described as having deplorable conditions in many accounts and were marked by isolation policies and restrictions on family visits. International bodies called for access by monitors and medical care. Red Cross access was limited; lawyers faced obstacles in visiting Gaza detainees. Organizations supporting Palestinian prisoners argued that such practices amounted to enforced disappearance, with several measures extending beyond typical legal procedures. Parliament discussions in the region reflected concerns about the legal framework used to justify these detentions and the broader human rights implications.
Terrorist-related rhetoric and imagery circulated in some posts and broadcasts, reflecting a volatile information environment around the conflict. Individual accounts continued to contribute to the broader record of detentions and the humanitarian impact of the crisis. Hospitals in Gaza faced an increased burden not only from injuries due to bombardment but also from treating the wounds caused by detentions, with medical teams working under severe strain to aid those affected.