The report published by the Israeli state auditor reveals that the increase in Palestinian detainees and prisoners following the war that began on October 7, 2023, has placed heavy pressure on the prison system. The report states that the overcrowding in prisons and detention centers is not merely an administrative issue but also affects the operational order of security agencies.
Auditor Matanyahu Englman noted that Israel was unprepared to handle such a large wave of detainees at the start of the war. According to the report, the military and Prison Service did not make sufficient prior estimates of how many people could be held in custody during a large-scale war, nor did they complete capacity and infrastructure preparations accordingly.
The report further explains that the crisis worsened after Palestinians were detained en masse following the war. As of February 2025, the number of people held for security reasons reached 10,147, with an additional 2,366 held at military bases.
According to the audit findings, this congestion also affected some detention operations planned by security authorities. The report notes that some planned detentions in the West Bank were reduced or canceled, and the limited detention capacity made it harder to conduct effective interrogations.
Another consequence of the overcrowding was the release of 19 individuals deemed dangerous by security authorities in July 2024. Among them was Muhammad Abu Silmiye, the director of the Shifa Hospital in Gaza.
The report states that the excessive burden also impacted prison staff. The rapid increase in detainee numbers increased the workload of guards, made control within prisons more difficult, and heightened risks due to the imbalance between staff and detainee numbers.
The auditor also criticized the failure to prepare indictments against Palestinians allegedly linked to the October 7 attacks by February 2026. This delay was attributed to a decision by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Justice Minister Yariv Levin not to advance judicial proceedings while Israeli captives were held in Gaza.
The report emphasizes that expanding detention capacity should be treated as an urgent national project. It recommends developing a long-term plan between the military and Prison Service and quickly implementing alternatives to imprisonment in some cases.
