Description

Photo:
Gaza detainees. Published by IMEMC News

The classified underground Rakefet prison wing (Photo: Oz Mualem) Published by YNET

Rafeket.(Photo: Liran Tamari) Published by YNET

Rafeket.(Photo: Oz Mualem). Published by YNET

National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir visits the Rakefet wing.(Photo: Oz Mualem) Published by YNET
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by IMEMC News
Nov 10, 2025

Israeli occupation authorities have been systematically torturing Palestinian detainees from Gaza since at least February 2024, according to Francesca Albanese, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the occupied Palestinian territory.

In a public statement, Albanese affirmed that mounting evidence confirms the abuse of prisoners held in Israeli custody, while Israel continues to operate with impunity and remains shielded from international accountability.

The statement coincides with revelations from a recent investigative report exposing the existence of a secret underground Israeli prison known as Rakefet, where dozens of Palestinians from Gaza are being held in conditions described by legal experts as tantamount to torture.

The facility, located beneath the Ramla prison complex southeast of Tel Aviv, was reopened in late 2023 under the directive of far-right Israeli Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir.

According to testimonies collected by lawyers from the Public Committee Against Torture in Israel (PCATI), detainees in Rakefet are subjected to extreme physical and psychological abuse.

They are denied sunlight, adequate food, medical care, and any contact with their families or the outside world.

Many are shackled, blindfolded, and beaten, with some reporting attacks by dogs and deliberate humiliation. Mattresses are removed during the day, and prisoners are confined underground in total isolation.

The majority of those held are civilians, including a nurse and a teenage food vendor, who were abducted from Gaza during the ongoing war.

Israeli courts have extended their detention in brief video hearings without legal representation, using the phrase “until the end of the war” as justification.

These proceedings violate basic due process and reflect a broader pattern of arbitrary detention and legal erasure.

Albanese has previously warned that such practices may constitute crimes against humanity and genocide under international law.

The treatment of detainees, combined with the conditions of confinement and lack of oversight, raises serious concerns about violations of the Geneva Conventions and the Convention Against Torture.

The revelations about Rakefet prison add to growing calls for international investigation into Israel’s detention policies, particularly regarding civilians abducted from Gaza and held incommunicado.

Human rights organizations continue to demand access to detainees, independent forensic review, and legal accountability for those responsible.

This case underscores the urgent need for global scrutiny of Israel’s carceral system and its role in the broader machinery of occupation, repression, and collective punishment targeting Palestinians across the occupied territories.
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via Twitter (X)

Noura Erakat
@4noura
Israeli soldiers raped #Palestinian men & women in detention. Soldiers used their bodies, sticks, glass, & trained dogs 2 #rape men & women. I do not need to rehearse the laws this violates for you to understand the depravity.This is not a matter 4 peace talks, accountability now

Quote
Palestinian Centre for Human Rights - PCHR
@pchrgaza
·
Nov 10
PCHR Documents Testimonies of Systematic Rape and Sexual Torture in Israeli Detention against Released Palestinian Detainees

Read our full statement here: https://pchrgaza.org/?p=37678

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Inside Israel’s secret underground prison: How Israel detains Hamas, Hezbollah terrorists

Smart cameras monitoring vital signs and 'minimal conditions under international law': Israel unveils Rakefet, its underground prison housing Hamas and Hezbollah terrorists, including October 7 massacre perpetrators

by Liran Tamari|01.08.25 | 13:16 for YNET

This case underscores the urgent need for global scrutiny of Israel’s carceral system and its role in the broader machinery of occupation, repression, and collective punishment targeting Palestinians across the occupied territories.

The wing is one of the most advanced and secure in the IPS, equipped with cutting-edge technology. Smart cameras are installed in every cell, capable of monitoring and tracking every movement of the prisoners.

The underground facility was reopened after it was shut down in the 1970s when it housed some of Israel’s most dangerous criminals, but its operations were halted following two major incidents: one, the murder of a criminal caught on the facility’s cameras, and the other, the smuggling of a gun to an inmate. After those events, the IPS decided to close the complex. However, due to the war and the detention of numerous terrorists, the wing has now been reopened for the incarceration of security prisoners.

According to IPS, the conditions under which the terrorists are held are "minimal" and comply with international law, with each prisoner receiving one hour of daily exercise. A prison official added that the conditions in the underground complex are basic, which allows for maximum control over the detainees, all while adhering to legal requirements.

“The conditions in the Rakefet wing are among the harshest in the IPS,” said the facility’s commander. “The prisoners held here participated in the October 7 massacre, and they are extremely dangerous, highly trained operatives. The IPS must remain vigilant at all times, as extraordinary events can happen at any moment.”

The wing is equipped with state-of-the-art surveillance systems, including biometric cameras installed in every cell to continuously monitor the prisoners’ presence and vital signs. These cameras allow the IPS to know exactly who is in each cell at any given time. “The Rakefet wing is a perfect example of the IPS’s approach, using advanced technology to minimize the variety of security threats posed by its detainees,” said IPS Chief Commissioner Kobi Yaakobi.

National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir also commented on the facility, stating, “This is the natural place for terrorists—underground.” He went on to express his hope that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would support the advancement of the death penalty for terrorists.