Western media has seized on every detail of the Israeli captives held in Gaza, breathlessly branding them “hostages” and amplifying any hint of mistreatment into a dramatic saga of victimhood. Every account, no matter how minor, has been turned into a spectacle of suffering, reinforcing a narrative of Israeli victimhood while eclipsing the plight of thousands of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli detention.
Yet, this spotlight starkly contrasts with the near silence on the far graver abuses—torture, starvation, and killings—inflicted on thousands of Palestinians in Israeli custody, whom the same outlets casually label “prisoners” rather than prisoners of war, a status more fitting given Israel’s occupation. The systemic abuse and horrifying conditions in Israeli detention centers have been largely ignored, creating an intentional media void that distorts the reality of captivity on both sides of the conflict.
As a fragile ceasefire persists, the release of 25 Israeli captives against over 985 Palestinians by February 23, per the International Committee of the Red Cross, reveals a tapestry of experiences—from allegations of beatings to surprising humane gestures—that pales beside the systemic brutality documented in Israeli detention facilities.
This skewed lens, fixated on Israeli suffering while glossing over Palestinian torment, exposes a narrative disparity as entrenched as the conflict itself.
Harrowing Allegations of Abuse
For some Israeli captives, the ordeal was grim. Iair Horn and Sagui Dekel-Chen have spoken candidly about physical abuse, alleging they were beaten with sticks during their time in Gaza, according to Haaretz.
Another released captive told the same outlet: “They treated us like animals,” describing harsh restrictions—limited food, no freedom of movement—that led to severe weight loss and visible deterioration. The gaunt faces of hostages like Eli Sharabi, Or Levy, and Ohad Ben-Ami, freed on February 8 after 16 months, underscored these claims, raising concerns about malnutrition.
Psychological torment deepened the suffering for some.
Keith Siegel, a U.S.-Israeli dual citizen, told The Times of Israel he was coerced into writing a gratitude letter to his Hamas captors—propaganda, he believes. Others reported forced labor, cooking or cleaning under orders not to cry, amplifying their degradation.
Most disturbingly, allegations of sexual violence emerged, with Amit Soussana recounting to CNN a traumatic ordeal of being bound and abused. While Israeli sources widely circulate such claims, their veracity is contested, with critics noting a lack of independent corroboration and reliance on questionable outlets.
Unexpected Gestures of Care
Yet a contrasting narrative emerges from other captives, one of humane treatment challenging assumptions.
Yocheved Lifshitz, an 85-year-old released in 2023, recalled a hellish tunnel journey but said her captors later met her needs: “They treated me well,” she noted, citing medical care and hygiene.
Agam Berger, a former soldier, told interviewers her captors provided a prayer book and allowed Jewish holiday observance—a rare respect.
Liat Aatzili, quoted by Haaretz on July 28, 2024, described relative freedom: “The house was completely open, and I could roam freely inside. They didn’t guard me in the room, and they allowed me to shower, change my clothes, and they took care of my needs.”
Families echoed this. In November 2023, relatives told Walla their loved ones “were treated humanely” and unharmed from the start.
Recent releases in February 2025 reinforced this: @AbujomaaGaza’s video on February 15 showed a Khan Younis handover where Palestinian resistance offered gifts and speaking platforms, captioned as “Palestinian morals and respect.” On February 22, @AlZaher posted a freed captive kissing captors’ heads, smiling, with a note: “They treated the prisoners well & preserved their lives” despite Israeli bombings.
How the Israelis Hold Palestinians
Since October 7, 2023, Palestinian detainees in Israeli prisons allege systemic torture as retribution for Israelis killed that day, while evidence hints Israel’s Hannibal Directive killed many of its own people that day—officially 1,200 Israeli deaths in total.
Over 9,500 Palestinians detained, a third in illegal administrative detention, per the Palestinian Prisoner’s Society, face a war that’s killed over 47,000 in Gaza. Israel denies abuse—despite its prison guards admitting they rape Palestinian detainees, on Israeli television—but obscures October 7’s toll.
Voices from the Cells: Testimonies from Palestinian Prisoners Who Were Doctors
Testimonies from Palestinian doctors who endured Israeli detention reveal systemic, calculated cruelty.
Dr. Mohammed Abu Selmia was bound to a chair for hours on end, denied sleep, food, and water, and subjected to repeated beatings and dog attacks. Dr. Issam Abu Ajwa was forced to sleep on sharp rocks, drenched in cold water, and left in freezing temperatures while enduring non-stop blaring music.
Dr. Khaled Serr described being stripped naked, beaten en route to Sde Teiman detention camp, and forced to sit motionless for hours, blindfolded, before being assaulted by soldiers. Dr. Bassam Miqdad was urinated on, transported in overcrowded vehicles, and forced to walk on a fractured ankle. Dr. Mahmoud Abu Shehada spent three months at Ofer prison, barely surviving on meager food rations while enduring beatings and humiliation.
Dr. Said Maarouf was arrested alongside his son and tortured for 45 days in Sde Teiman camp, losing 25 kilos due to extreme starvation. Dr. Saleh Eleiwa endured 138 days of mistreatment, including solitary confinement, starvation, and forced stripping. Dr. Ahmad Mhanna was subjected to the infamous “Disco” torture chamber, where he suffered unbearable humiliation, standing for hours in the cold while shackled.
A Network of “Torture Camps”
Amnesty’s Heba Morayef and Euro-Med Monitor decry a spike in systematic torture, sometimes to death, by Israel—including of women and children. Kamal Abu Arab told Al Jazeera of dehumanization, with Red Cross access denied since 2023, in violation of the Geneva Convention.
Official Denials and Investigations
Israel denies systemic abuse, probing 35 custody deaths amid protests over rare accountability, like Sde Teiman’s case, while Palestinian detainees continue to endure blatant violations. These testimonies expose the depth of brutality largely ignored by Western media, adding to the crisis of mistreatment and obscured truth by Israel.
The asymmetry in global outrage persists, but these stories demand acknowledgment and justice.
