Gaza detainees reveal harrowing abuse in Israeli underground dungeon

Content warning: This article contains graphic descriptions of torture, abuse, and inhumane treatment that some readers may find distressing.

The Palestinian Commission for Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs and the Palestinian Prisoners' Society revealed on Tuesday disturbing new testimonies from detainees from Gaza, following rare legal visits to prisoners held in underground Israeli detention facilities.

According to a joint statement, the newly documented accounts add to an expanding archive of harrowing testimonies that detail months of physical and psychological abuse endured by Palestinians detained since the start of the war on Gaza.

The prisoners described being repeatedly transferred between prisons and military camps, subjected to systematic torture and degrading conditions throughout their detention.

The testimonies were collected during the first legal visits conducted by Palestinian lawyers to detainees held in a secret underground prison called Rakevet, located beneath Israel's Nitzan Prison in Ramle.

The visits took place under extreme surveillance, with guards accompanying the lawyers at all times and prohibiting any mention of family or events outside the prison.

According to lawyers, detainees showed visible signs of fear and trauma. At first, many were unable to speak freely due to the heavy surveillance, however, after reassurances from the legal teams, some agreed to share their experiences.

One detainee, identified as S.J., said he was arrested in December 2023 and immediately subjected to six days of continuous interrogation under what he called the "disco" and "pampers" methods - references used by detainees for particularly humiliating techniques.

He described being forced to wear adult diapers after being denied access to a bathroom, while enduring continuous loud music, severe food and water deprivation, and being kept blindfolded and handcuffed throughout.

S.J. was then transferred multiple times - from the Sdeh Teiman military camp to Ashkelon Prison, then to the Moscobiya detention centre for 85 days, followed by Ofer Prison, and finally to the Rakevet section in Ramle.

He said the conditions in Rakevet were the worst he experienced with three detainees per cell, no sunlight, and humiliating exercise time where prisoners were not allowed to lift their heads.

Another detainee, W.N., said he was arrested in December 2024 and endured violent interrogations by Israeli forces and intelligence operatives.

He reported being sexually assaulted with a search device, denied medical treatment, and forced to sit on his knees for long periods. Prisoners were made to curse their own mothers, he added, and he sustained a broken finger during transport - a tactic he said guards deliberately use against detainees.

A third detainee, K.D., said he was subjected to repeated interrogations using the "disco" method and stress positions, often tied to a chair for long hours or thrown to the floor, while loud music played continuously, making it impossible to rest or sleep.

He developed scabies in Ofer Prison and received no treatment after being transferred to Ramle. He suffers from chest pain made worse by the use of tight restraints and claims the prison administration punishes inmates by deliberately breaking their thumbs.

Another detainee, A.G., held for 35 days at Sdeh Teiman, said he entered prison with an injury and received no medical care.

He developed a high fever and lost consciousness several times. For 15 days, he was shackled and blindfolded around the clock. Later transferred to Rakevet, he described permanent surveillance in cells, bans on prayer, threats of death, and violent assaults during yard time.

The prisoners were allowed to shower only when guards decided, and were given one roll of toilet paper every three days. Food is minimal, and detainees track time by when guards confiscate blankets at dawn.

Torture sites across multiple facilities

The Commission and Prisoners' Society said that Rakevet was one of several facilities repurposed or reopened by Israel to hold Gaza detainees since the start of what Palestinians describe as a campaign of mass killing. Other facilities include Sde Teiman, Anatot, Ofer camp, and the Menashe camp for West Bank detainees.

These sites, the statement said, have become synonymous with "instantaneous, systematic physical and psychological torture".

As of early April 2025, Israel's prison authorities have officially acknowledged holding 1,747 Gaza detainees, classified under the controversial and legally disputed label of "unlawful combatants" - a designation that permits indefinite detention without trial or formal charges. This figure does not include the many others believed to be held in military camps outside the jurisdiction of the Israel Prison Service.

The Palestinian prisoners' groups called for international legal action and immediate access to all detainees by independent human rights observers.