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Statistics on Palestinians from the Gaza Strip in the custody of the Israeli security forces

Updated:

Since October 2020, the IPS has stopped providing B’Tselem with figures in response to requests under the Freedom of Information Law.

 

At the end of September 2020, 254 Palestinian security detainees and prisoners from the Gaza Strip - including one minor - were held in Israeli prisons. An additional 8 Palestinians from the Gaza Strip were held in Israel Prison Service facilities for being in Israel illegally. The IPS considers these Palestinians – both detainees and prisoners – criminal offenders. The following data were provided by the military and by the IPS.

Due to IPS policy as of May 2020 not to provide B'Tselem with figures under 5, the overall number of detainees and prisoners, as provided B'Tselem, may not match the sum total of detainees and prisoners in the various categories. 

B'Tselem petitioned the Central District Court to revoke this policy.

In addition, at times, some Palestinians are briefly held in military facilities. The figures from the military are received with a significant time delay and provide no details regarding inmates’ legal standing.

For more information click here

For further information please contact Eyal Sagiv by e-mail at: saeyal@btselem.org.

 

Gazan prisoners and detainees in IPS custody (held for security reasons or illegal entry) and in military custody*

 

2020 IPS custody IDF custody
  Security prisoners and detainees Held for being in Israel illegally  
Month Adults 16-18 14-16 Under 14 Total Adults Minors Total Minors Adults
            Detainees Serving sentence Detainees Serving sentence      
Sept. 253 1 0 0 254 2 6 0 0 8 0 2
August 254 0 0 0 254 3 6 0 0 9 1 6
July 256 0 0 0 256 0 6 0 0 6 0 0
June 263 0 0 0 263 1 6 0 0 7 0 0
May 267 0 0 0 267 3 6 0 0 9 0 0
April 274 0 0 0 274 1 7 0 0 8 0 0
March 276 1 0 0 277 1 8 0 0 9 0 0
Feb. 282 0 0 0 282 3 6 0 0 9 0 0
Jan.
287
0
0
0
287
1
8
0
0
9
0
0

 

2019 IPS custody IDF custody
  Security prisoners and detainees Held for being in Israel illegally  
Month Adults 16-18 14-16 Under 14 Total Adults Minors Total Minors Adults
            Detainees Serving sentence Detainees Serving sentence      
Dec. 296 0 0 0 296 1 8 0 0 9 0 0
Nov. 302 1 0 0 303 0 10 0 0 10 0 0
Oct. 306 2 1 0 309 0 9 0 0 9 0 2
Sept. 306 4 1 0 311 0 8 0 0 8 0 0
August 307 4 1 0 312 7 9 0 0 16 0 0
July 304 4 1 0 309 0 9 0 0 9 0 0
June 304 5 0 0 309 0 8 0 0 8 0 2
May 305 4 0 0 309 1 10 1 0 12 0 2
April 301 2 0 0 303 1 10 0 0 11 0 0
March 292 3 0 0 295 2 13 0 0 15 0 1
Feb.
291
3
0
0
294
3
10
0
0
13
0
1
Jan.
290
3
0
0
293
4
10
0
0
14
0
1

 

2018 IPS custody     IDF custody
  Security prisoners and detainees Held for being in Israel illegally  
Month Adults 16-18 14-16 Under 14 Total Adults Minors Total Minors Adults
            Detainees Serving 
sentence		 Detainees Serving 
sentence		      
Dec. 294 4 0 0 298 1 9 0 0 10 0 2
Nov. 299 4 0 0 303 2 12 0 0 14 0 1
Oct. 306 4 0 0 310 1 8 0 0 9 0 0
Sept. 308 4 0 0 312 2 8 0 0 10 0 1
Aug. 308 3 0 0 311 2 9 1 0 12 0 4
July 315 3 0 0 318 0 9 0 0 9 0 4
June 314 2 0 0 316 8 0 0 0 8 0 1
May 315 2 0 0 317 1 9 0 0 10 0 4
April 304 3 0 0 307 3 10 0 0 13 0 3
March 308 2 0 0 310 4 11 0 0 15 0 2
Feb. 306 7 3 0 316 3 9 0 0 12 0 1
Jan 316 2 0 0 318 3 10 0 0 13 0 2

* One Palestinian resident of the Gaza Strip has been held by the IPS under the Illegal Combatants Law since Aug. 2014, although he does not appear in the IPS data.

 

2017 IPS custody     IDF custody
  Security prisoners and detainees     Held for being in Israel illegally  
Month Adults 16-18 14-16 Under 14 Total Adults Minors Total Minors Adults
            Detainees Serving 
sentence		 Detainees Serving 
sentence		      
Dec. 318 1 0 0 319 4 9 0 0 13 0 2
Nov. 320 0 0 0 320 2 9 1 0 12 0 3
Oct. 325 0 0 0 325 3 12 0 0 15 0 0
Sept. 326 0 0 0 326 5 10 0 0 15 0 6
Aug. 328 0 0 0 328 4 10 0 0 14 1 6
July 326 0 0 0 326 2 12 0 0 14 0 1
June 323 1 0 0 324 3 10 0 0 13 0 0
May 328 1 0   0    329 1 13 1 0  15 0 8
April 328 1  0  0  329 2 10 0  0  12 0  1 
March 331 1  0  0  332 5 9 0  0  14 0  2 
Feb. 333 1 0 0 334 4 13 0 0 17 0  0 
Jan 333 1 0 0 334 6 8 0 0 14 0  3

* One Palestinian resident of the Gaza Strip has been held by the IPS under the Illegal Combatants Law since Aug. 2014, although he does not appear in the IPS data.

 

2016 IPS custody     IDF custody
  Security prisoners and detainees     Held for being in Israel illegally  
Month Adults 16-18 14-16 Under 14 Total Adults Minors Total Minors Adults
            Detainees Serving 
sentence		 Detainees Serving 
sentence		      
Dec. 337 2 0 0 339 2 11 0 0 13 0 1
Nov. 339 3 0 0 342 3 9 0 0 12 0 2
Oct. 335 3 0 0 338 1 9 2 0 12 0 2
Sept. 337 3 0 0 340 2 9 0 0 11 0 0
Aug. 333 3 0 0 336 1 9 0 0 10 0 2
July 339 3 0 0 342 1 12 0 0 13 0 0
June 338 3 0 0 341 7 9 0 0 16 0 0
May 339 2 0 0 341 4 11 0 1 16 0 2
April 333 1 0 0 334 10 4 0 0 14 0 0
March 336 1 0 0 337 6 9 0 0 15 0 1
Feb. 339 1 0 0 340 6 21 0 0 27 0 0
Jan 341 1 0 0 342 3 24 0 0 27 0 2

* One Palestinian resident of the Gaza Strip has been held by the IPS under the Illegal Combatants Law since Aug. 2014, although he does not appear in the IPS data.

Palestinian security detainees and prisoners from the Gaza Strip held in IPS prisons, 2013-2015

2015          
Month Adults 18-16 16-14 Under 14 Total
Jan. 357 1 0  0  358
Feb. 360 1 0  0  361
March 360 1 0  0  361
April 357 0  0  0  357
May 351 0  0  0  351
June 350 0  0  0  350
July 346 0  0  0  346
August 341 0  0  0  371
Sept. 342 0  0  0  342
Oct.  342 0  0  0  342
Nov. 340 1 0  0  341
Dec.**** 342 1 0  0  343
2014          
Month Adults 18-16 16-14 Under 14 Total
Jan. 373 0  0  0  373
Feb. 373 0  0  0  373
March 373 0  0  0  373
April 373 0  0  0  373
May 370 0  0  0  370
June 365 1 0  0  366
July 366 1 0  0  367
August 369 1 0  0  370
Sept. 367 1 0  0  368
Oct. 364 1 0  0  365
Nov. 361 1 0  0  362
Dec. 361 1 0  0  362
2013          
Month Adults 18-16 16-14 Under 14 Total
Jan. 421 2 0  0  423
Feb. 418 1 0  0   419
March 414 1 0  0   415
April 410 1 0  0   411
May 409 1 0  0  410
June 408 1 0  0  409
July 411 1 0  0  412
Aug. 391 1 0  0  392
Sept. 391 1 0  0  392
Oct. 385 1 0  0  386
Nov. 386 1 0  0  387
Dec. 381 0  0  0  381

* According to figures received from the IDF Spokesperson, during Operation Protective Edge (July-August 2014), 159 Palestinians were apprehended in the Gaza Strip and taken to three purpose-built detention facilities near Gaza. All three facilities were shut down by 5 August 2014. Some of the detainees were released and others handed over to the custody of the IPS (Israel Prison Service), yet relevant figures were not provided. Once of the detainees now in IPS custody is being held under the Incarceration of Unlawful Combatants Law. 

** In addition, two Palestinians from the Gaza Strip were in IDF custody in December 2015.

*** One Palestinian resident of the Gaza Strip has been held by the IPS under the Illegal Combatants Law since Aug. 2014, although he does not appear in the IPS data.


Palestinians from the Gaza Strip held in IPS facilities for being in Israel illegally

2015          
Month Adults   Minors   Total
  Detainees Serving
sentence		 Detainees Serving
sentence		  
Jan. 4 16 0  0  20
Feb.  2 14 0  0  16
March 5 14 0  0  19
April 2 14 0  0  16
May 0 14 0  0  14
June 1 12 0  0  13
July 2 11 0  0  13
August 2 11 0  0  13
Sept. 1 9 0  0  10
Oct. 4 10 1 0  15
Nov. 21 11 0  0  32
Dec. 3 26 0  0  29
2014          
Month Adults   Minors   Total
  Detainees Serving
sentence		 Detainees Serving
sentence		  
Jan. 2 16 0  0  18
Feb. 5 16 0  0  21
March 5 15 0  0  20
April 5 16 0  0  21
May 3 19 0  0  22
June 3 20 0  0  23
July 2 21 0  0  23
August 3 18 0  0  21
Sept. 4 17 0  0  21
Oct. 4 18 0  0  22
Nov.  3 17 0  0  20
Dec. 1 16 0  0  17
2013          
Month Adults   Minors   Total
  Detainees Serving
sentence		 Detainees Serving
sentence		  
April 6 17 0  0  23
May 6 16 0  0  22
June 7 17 0  0  24
July 6 17 0  0  23
Aug. 8 20 0  0  28
Sept. 9 18 1 0  28
Oct. 7 18 0  0  25
Nov. 5 20 0  0  25
Dec. 3 17 0  0  20


Palestinian security detainees and prisoners from the Gaza Strip held in IPS prisons, 2012-2009

 
2012        
Month Adults 16-18 Under 16 Total
Jan. 443 0  0  443
Feb. 442 1 0  443
March 441 1 0  442
April 441 1 0  442
May 440 1 0  441
June 441 1 0  442
July 433 2 0  435
Aug. 431 2 0  433
Sept. 429 2 0  431
Oct. 427 2 0  429
Nov. 423 2 0  425
Dec. 421 2 0  423
2011        
Month Adults 16-18 Under 16 Total
Jan. 674 0  0  674
Feb. 658 0  0  658
March 647 0  0  647
April 641 0  0  641
May 633 0  0  633
June 634 0  0  634
July 634 0  0  634
Aug. 615 0  0  615
Sept. 613 0  0  613
Oct. 486 0  0  486
Nov. 483 0  0  483
Dec. 445 0  0  445
2010        
Month Adults 16-18 Under 16 Total
Jan. 725 1 0  726
Feb. 721 1 0  722
March 716 1 0  717
April 709 1 0  710
May 700 1 0  701
June 698 1 0  699
July 692 1 0  693
Aug. 686 1 0  687
Sept. 679 1 0  680
Oct. 679 1 0  680
Nov. 674 1 0  675
Dec. 674 0  0  674
2009        
Month Adults 16-18 Under 16 Total
May 757 1 0  758
June 757 0  0  757
July 745 0  0  745
Aug. 739 0  0  739
Sept. 733 0  0  733
Oct. 728 0  0  728
Nov. 726 0  0  726
Dec. 728 1 0  729
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Israel’s regime of apartheid and occupation is inextricably bound up in human rights violations. B’Tselem strives to end the occupation, as that is the only way forward to a future in which human rights, democracy, liberty and equality are ensured to all people, both Palestinian and Israeli, living between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea.