5 stories for 2026-02-23 · Political repression, arbitrary detention & extrajudicial violence · Israel/Palestine
The head of Israel's Prison Service invited settlers on a tour of a facility holding Palestinian prisoners, where the service provided lunch to the visitors. Palestinian prisoner rights groups have raised alarms about ongoing starvation conditions among detainees, particularly during Ramadan. The tour has drawn criticism from rights advocates monitoring conditions in Israeli detention facilities.
Israeli forces have detained more than 100 Palestinians in the occupied West Bank since the beginning of Ramadan, according to a report. The intensified arrest campaign coincides with Israeli authorities banning the display of religious decorations for the Islamic holy month in Jerusalem. The detentions represent an escalation in military operations in Palestinian territories during this period.
The Palestinian Foreign Ministry stated the Palestinian Authority is prepared to assume control of government and security in Gaza with Arab and international backing. The ministry called for international intervention to halt violations in Gaza and the West Bank.
According to Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, Britain is pursuing legal action against an alliance described as Palestinian. The report indicates prosecution proceedings have been initiated, though specific charges, defendants, and details of the alleged violations remain unclear from the available excerpt.
According to Asharq Al-Awsat, Israeli officers are alleged to have engaged in torture practices against Palestinian detainees. The report indicates that abusive practices against Palestinians have become normalized among Israeli personnel and are increasingly reflected in internal Israeli military relations, following a pattern described as "the strong eating the weak."