Long-form analysis by the Middle East Research and Information Project (MERIP) examining Israel’s systematic use of torture, sexual violence, and mass detention of Palestinian prisoners across the West Bank and Gaza. The authors examine Israel’s system of carceral violence as a form of deliberate collective punishment and control, in clear violation of international law. The article focuses on how Israel's National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir weaponized the Israeli Prison Service before and after October 7, 2023, the surge in arbitrary arrests and administrative detention across the West Bank, first-person testimonies from released prisoners, communication blackouts, and Israel’s history of state-authorized torture. This source is valuable for researchers studying Israel's carceral system, torture, and administrative detention and is a strong analytical companion to the primary documentation produced by B'Tselem, Addameer, and the UN Commission of Inquiry.
