GAZA, (PIC)
“I was sexually assaulted through being beaten on sensitive parts of my body with a search device. Today, we are in total isolation from the outside world. We do not know when the sun rises or sets. They force us to curse our mothers. We are beaten and repressed. During my transfer to prison, I was beaten so badly that one of my fingers was broken.”
With these pain-soaked words, drenched in deprivation and suffering, detainee (W.N.) from Gaza shares a glimpse of the horrific and sadistic crimes committed by Israeli jailers against prisoners from Gaza. These crimes take place in secret detention sites filled with filth and cockroaches, particularly in the underground section known as “Rakevet” in Nitzan-Ramla prison. Human rights organizations have documented testimonies from this location that amount to crimes against humanity.
These testimonies were collected during the first visits allowed to Gaza detainees—especially those held in the “elite” prisoner section, where some have been classified by the Israeli authorities as “unlawful combatants.”
The Commission for Detainees and Ex-Detainees’ Affairs and the Palestinian Prisoners Society revealed new and shocking testimonies from Gaza detainees. These accounts describe the details of their arrest, interrogation, and transfers between prisons and military camps over the course of several months.
Throughout their detention, Gaza detainees have been subjected to systematic torture. These testimonies were gathered by legal teams during their first visits to a group of detainees held under extreme conditions and strict surveillance in the underground “Rakevet” section of Nitzan-Ramla Prison.
Underground visit to Gaza detainees in “Rakevet”
According to prisoner rights organizations, the legal teams were taken into an old building resembling a storage unit. They were led down a staircase into an underground area, described by the lawyers as being infested with cockroaches and filled with cracks in the floors and walls. The visits were conducted under strict surveillance and with prison guards present. Lawyers were explicitly prohibited from discussing detainees’ families or any news from outside. The detainees appeared visibly terrified, and it was initially difficult to open a conversation due to the intense monitoring. However, after some effort, the lawyers were able to reassure the detainees and confirm their identity as legal representatives.
The organizations presented some of the detainees’ testimonies, adding to dozens of previous accounts collected since the onset of what is described as an ongoing genocide.
Rakevet – The harshest and most inhumane section
Detainee (S.J.) said: “I was arrested in December 2023 and was immediately subjected to six days of interrogation, the harshest period of all. I was tortured using ‘disco’ and ‘diaper’ methods. Loud music blared constantly, and I was forced to wear diapers, changed only twice. I was deprived of food and received just half a cup of water daily. My hands were tied, and my eyes blindfolded the entire time. I was later transferred from Sde Teiman military camp to Ashkelon Prison, where I stayed for 45 days. Then I was moved to the Moskobiya Detention Center for 85 days, then to Ofer Prison, and finally to Rakevet in Nitzan-Ramla Prison.”
He said that Rakevet had the worst conditions of all. Each cell holds three detainees, with one forced to sleep on the floor. Yard time is allowed every other day, but detainees remain handcuffed, and the courtyard has no sunlight. During yard time, detainees are insulted and humiliated, and not allowed to raise their heads.
Detainee: We don’t know when the sun rises or sets
Detainee (W.N.) elaborated: “I was arrested in December 2024. After being interrogated by the Israeli army and then the intelligence service, I was transferred to Ramla Prison. I suffer from severe health problems and physical pain. We are forced to sit on our knees for extended periods. I was sexually assaulted by being struck on sensitive parts of my body with a scanning device. We are completely cut off from the outside world. We receive torn and dirty clothing and are denied clean undergarments. We are forced to curse our mothers. I was beaten during my transfer to prison, resulting in a broken finger. The guards deliberately break detainees’ fingers—this happened to several others as well.”
Finger-Breaking as a torture method
Detainee (Kh.D.) reported being subjected to the “disco” interrogation and repeated intelligence interrogations (3–4 times). He was tied to a chair for long hours, thrown to the floor while shackled, and endured 30 days of interrogation in Ashkelon Prison. He now suffers from scabies, contracted during his detention in Ofer Prison, along with chest pain exacerbated by being handcuffed from behind. He confirmed that prison staff often punish detainees by breaking their thumbs.
Cameras inside the cells monitor detainees’ movements around the clock
Detainee (A.G.) said: “I was held for 35 days in Sde Teiman. I underwent five days of ‘disco’ interrogation. I had a pre-existing injury and received no medical treatment. I developed a high fever and screamed from the pain. I suffer from heart problems and lost consciousness multiple times. They only checked if I was still alive. I had no clothing or blanket in the early days and suffered from extreme cold in a makeshift structure open on several sides. I was blindfolded and handcuffed for 15 straight days before being transferred to Rakevet.”
“All rooms in Rakevet are monitored by surveillance cameras 24/7. We are banned from praying and constantly threatened with death. During yard time, guards use the opportunity to brutally beat and humiliate us while we’re handcuffed. We never see the sun. We are forced to curse our mothers. Shower times are decided by guards. Every three days, we’re given one roll of toilet paper per cell. Food rations are extremely limited. We only know it’s dawn when the guards come in to take away our mattresses and blankets.”
Rakevet – One of the main torture sites
Prisoner rights groups stated that Rakevet in Ramla is one of several prisons and camps established or reopened after the start of the genocide to hold detainees from Gaza. Other key sites include: Sde Teiman, Anatot, Ofer Camp, Rakevet, and Menashe Camp (used for detainees from the West Bank). These locations have become known for physical and psychological torture.
As of April 2025, the Israeli prison system has officially acknowledged 1,747 detainees from Gaza, labeled as “unlawful combatants.” This number does not include those held in military detention camps outside the prison authority’s control.
