Inside Israel's Rakefet Prison: Life in Darkness for Detainees

In the aftermath of the recent Israel-Gaza conflict, a troubling narrative has emerged regarding the treatment of Palestinians detained by Israel. Reports indicate that numerous individuals from Gaza are being held in a hidden underground facility, known as Rakefet, where they face severe isolation and harsh conditions. This article delves into the unsettling realities of Rakefet prison, shedding light on the experiences of those detained within its walls.

Rakefet prison houses dozens of Palestinians who are completely cut off from the outside world. These detainees are subjected to a life devoid of natural light, facing significant food shortages and are prohibited from communicating with their families or accessing news. Among those held in Rakefet are at least two civilians: a nurse who was arrested while wearing his scrubs and a young food vendor. This information comes from legal representatives at the Public Committee Against Torture in Israel (PCATI), who are advocating for these individuals.

The prison was initially established in the early 1980s, intended to incarcerate a small number of high-risk organized crime figures. However, it was shut down a few years later due to inhumane conditions. Following the October 7 attacks in 2023, Israel's far-right security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, ordered the facility to reopen. Originally designed to hold only a handful of inmates, Rakefet now accommodates around 100 detainees, as reported by PCATI based on official data.

Despite a ceasefire brokered in mid-October, which saw the release of 1,700 Palestinians from Gaza who had been detained indefinitely without charges, the scale of ongoing detentions remains alarming. Even after this mass release, over 1,000 individuals continue to be held under similar circumstances. PCATI has emphasized that, although active combat may have ceased, the conditions experienced by these detainees violate international humanitarian law and constitute forms of torture.

Among the detainees at Rakefet are civilians, including the two men represented by PCATI lawyers. One of these individuals is a 34-year-old nurse, detained in December 2023 while he was working at a hospital. The other is a teenager who was arrested in October 2024 while passing through an Israeli checkpoint. PCATI lawyer Janan Abdu highlighted the civilian nature of these cases, stating, "We are speaking about civilians. The man I spoke to was an 18-year-old who worked selling food. He was taken from a checkpoint on a road." This raises serious questions about the criteria used for detaining individuals in the context of the ongoing conflict.

The Israeli Prison Service (IPS) has not provided any information regarding the status or identities of other detainees currently held at Rakefet, which translates to "cyclamen flower" in Hebrew. Classified data from Israeli sources indicates that a significant number of those arrested during the conflict were civilians, further complicating the narrative surrounding the detentions and raising concerns about the legal justifications for such actions.

The Israel-Gaza war has escalated tensions in the Middle East and North Africa region, with profound implications for the lives of countless individuals. The treatment of Palestinians in detention facilities like Rakefet highlights the ongoing humanitarian crisis that persists despite efforts toward peace. Activists and human rights organizations continue to call for transparency and accountability regarding the treatment of detainees, urging the international community to take notice of these troubling conditions.

The situation at Rakefet prison serves as a stark reminder of the human cost of conflict. As Israel continues to detain Palestinians under questionable circumstances, the calls for justice and transparency grow louder. The experiences of those held within Rakefet's dark confines underscore the urgent need for a reevaluation of detention practices and a commitment to upholding human rights standards. As the world watches, the hope remains that a path toward justice and peace can be forged, ensuring that the voices of the oppressed are heard and valued.