Freed Palestinian journalist says Israeli prisons are ‘graveyard’

JENIN, Palestinian Territories, July 9, 2026 (Alliance News): A Palestinian journalist has alleged that Israeli prisons have become a “graveyard” for detainees after suffering serious health complications following his release from detention.

Mujahed Bani Mufleh, 37, was released in January after spending six months in Israeli custody on allegations of inciting violence through his journalistic work. According to the Palestinian Prisoners’ Club, he suffered a severe brain haemorrhage two days after his release and remains under treatment at a hospital in Jenin after undergoing multiple surgeries.

Speaking to AFP, Bani Mufleh claimed he was assaulted during his arrest and subjected to physical abuse while in custody. He said he was placed in administrative detention without formal charges and described prison conditions as extremely harsh.

Israeli military and prison authorities did not immediately respond to the allegations. Israel’s Prison Service has previously maintained that all detainees are held in accordance with the law and that their basic rights are respected.

Human rights organisations, including Israeli, Palestinian and international groups, have repeatedly raised concerns over the treatment of detainees and prison conditions in Israel since the start of the Gaza conflict.

Bani Mufleh, editor of the Ultra Palestine news website, said he experienced severe hunger and deteriorating health during his detention.

According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, 108 journalists and media workers have been arrested in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories since October 2023. Of those, 72 journalists and one media worker have been released, while 36 remain in custody.

The Palestinian Prisoners’ Club described Bani Mufleh’s case as part of what it called a broader pattern of alleged abuses within the Israeli prison system.