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Statistics on Palestinians from the Gaza Strip in Israeli custody

Detainees & Prisoners
Updated: 29 March 2026

At the end of December 2025, the Israel Prison Service (IPS) was holding 1,477 Palestinians from the Gaza Strip in detention or in prison on what it defined “security” grounds. At that time, the IPS was also holding 21 Palestinians from the Gaza Strip, for being in Israel illegally.

At the end of 2020, the IPS adopted a new policy and stopped providing B'Tselem with the requested figures. Instead, it has since published some data on the IPS website every three months. The first year this occurred (July 2020 through September 2021), the figures published were partial and therefore are not included here.

In addition, at times, some Palestinians are briefly held in military facilities. The figures from the military are received with a significant time delay and provide no details regarding inmates’ legal standing.

The following figures were provided or published by the military and the IPS, so responsibility for their accuracy lies with them.

For more information click here

Gazan prisoners and detainees in IPS custody (held for security reasons or illegal entry) and in military custody* 

IPS custody

IDF custody

2025

Security prisoners and detainees

Held for being in Israel illegally

 

Month

Adults

16-18

14-16

Under 14

Total

Adults

Minors

Total

Minors

Adults

 

 

 

 

 

 

Detainees

Serving sentence

Detainees

Serving sentence

 

 

 

Dec.

*

*

*

*

1,477

11

10

0

0

21

*

*

Nov.

*

*

*

*

1,458

10

10

0

0

20

*

*

Oct.

*

*

*

*

1,415

12

6

0

0

18

*

*

Sep.

*

*

*

*

2,931

8

10

0

0

18

*

*

Aug.

*

*

*

*

2,914

5

14

0

0

19

*

*

July

*

*

*

*

2,636

9

9

0

0

18

*

*

June

*

*

*

*

2,629

7

13

0

0

20

*

*

May

*

*

*

*

2,385

3

14

0

0

17

*

*

April

*

*

*

*

2,009

7

10

0

0

17

*

*

March

*

*

*

*

1,928

6

3

0

0

9

*

*

Feb.

*

*

*

*

1,796

3

4

0

0

7

*

*

Jan.

*

*

*

*

2,238

3

1

0

0

4

*

*


IPS custody

IDF custody

2024

Security prisoners and detainees

Held for being in Israel illegally

Month

Adults

16-18

14-16

Under 14

Total

Adults

Minors

Minors

Adults

 

 

 

 

 

 

Detainees

Serving sentence

Detainees

Serving sentence

Total

 

 

Dec

*

*

*

*

2,216

1

2

0

0

3

*

*

Nov

*

*

*

*

2,108

0

2

0

0

2

*

*

Oct

*

*

*

*

2,047

1

2

0

0

3

*

*

Sep

*

*

*

*

2,019

0

3

0

0

3

*

*

Aug

*

*

*

*

1,958

1

8

0

0

9

*

*

July

*

*

*

*

1,925

0

6

0

0

6

*

*

June

*

*

*

*

1,761

3

1

0

0

4

*

*

May

*

*

*

*

1,216

4

4

0

0

8

*

*

April

*

*

*

*

1,167

3

5

0

0

8

*

*

Mar

*

*

*

*

1,141

5

2

0

0

7

*

*

Feb

*

*

*

*

1,102

1

4

0

0

5

*

*

Jan

*

*

*

*

995

2

2

0

0

4

*

*

 

2023IPS custodyIDF custody
 Palestinian prisoners and detainees held in on what the IPS defines “security” groundsHeld for being in Israel illegally 
MonthAdults16-1814-16Under 14TotalAdultsMinorsTotalMinorsAdults
      DetaineesServing sentenceDetaineesServing sentence   

Dec

*

*

*

*

917

1

2

0

0

*

*

*

Nov

*

*

*

*

480

3

1

0

0

*

*

*

Oct

*

*

*

*

276

1

3

0

0

*

*

*

Sept17420017653008**
Aug17820018021003**
July18120018312003**
June1821001833000300
May1810001815000507
April1861001872000201
March1860001862101405
Feb1850001852300501
Jan
188
0
0
0
188
4
3
0
0
7
0
     3

 

2022IPS custodyIDF custody
 Palestinian prisoners and detainees held in on what the IPS defines “security” groundsHeld for being in Israel illegally 
MonthAdults16-1814-16Under 14TotalAdultsMinorsTotalMinorsAdults
      DetaineesServing sentenceDetaineesServing sentence   
Dec.************
Nov.************
Oct.************
Sept.18630018914005**
August18930019233006**
July19030019324006**
June19530019842006**
May19310019434007**
April19010019143007**
March1911001921300400
Feb.1981001990400401
Jan.
196
0
0
0
196
0
4
0
0
4
0
0

 

2021IPS custodyIDF custody
 Palestinian prisoners and detainees held in on what the IPS defines “security” groundsHeld for being in Israel illegally 
MonthAdults16-1814-16Under 14TotalAdultsMinorsTotalMinorsAdults
      DetaineesServing sentenceDetaineesServing sentence   
Dec.1990001991600701
Nov.1990001991600700
Oct.1980001981400500
Sept.**********00
August**********00
July**********00
June**********01
May**********01
April**********00
March**********01
Feb.**********00
Jan.
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
0
1

 

 

2020IPS custodyIDF custody
 Palestinian prisoners and detainees held in on what the IPS defines “security” groundsHeld for being in Israel illegally 
MonthAdults16-1814-16Under 14TotalAdultsMinorsTotalMinorsAdults
      DetaineesServing sentenceDetaineesServing sentence   
Dec.**********00
Nov.**********02
Oct.**********00
Sept.2531002542600802
August2540002543600916
July2560002560600600
June2630002631600700
May2670002673600900
April2740002741700800
March2761002771800900
Feb.2820002823600900
Jan.
287
0
0
0
287
1
8
0
0
9
0
0

 

2019IPS custodyIDF custody
 Palestinian prisoners and detainees held in on what the IPS defines “security” groundsHeld for being in Israel illegally 
MonthAdults16-1814-16Under 14TotalAdultsMinorsTotalMinorsAdults
      DetaineesServing sentenceDetaineesServing sentence   
Dec.2960002961800900
Nov.302100303010001000
Oct.3062103090900902
Sept.3064103110800800
August30741031279001600
July3044103090900900
June3045003090800802
May305400309110101202
April301200303110001100
March292300295213001501
Feb.
291
3
0
0
294
3
10
0
0
13
0
1
Jan.
290
3
0
0
293
4
10
0
0
14
0
1

 

2018IPS custody    IDF custody
 Palestinian prisoners and detainees held in on what the IPS defines “security” groundsHeld for being in Israel illegally 
MonthAdults16-1814-16Under 14TotalAdultsMinorsTotalMinorsAdults
      DetaineesServing 
sentence		DetaineesServing 
sentence		   
Dec.29440029819001002
Nov.299400303212001401
Oct.3064003101800900
Sept.30840031228001001
Aug.30830031129101204
July3153003180900904
June3142003168000801
May31520031719001004
April304300307310001303
March308200310411001502
Feb.30673031639001201
Jan316200318310001302

* One Palestinian resident of the Gaza Strip has been held by the IPS under the Illegal Combatants Law since Aug. 2014, although he does not appear in the IPS data.

 

2017IPS custody    IDF custody
 Palestinian prisoners and detainees held in on what the IPS defines “security” groundsHeld for being in Israel illegally 
MonthAdults16-1814-16Under 14TotalAdultsMinorsTotalMinorsAdults
      DetaineesServing 
sentence		DetaineesServing 
sentence		   
Dec.31810031949001302
Nov.32000032029101203
Oct.325000325312001500
Sept.326000326510001506
Aug.328000328410001416
July326000326212001401
June323100324310001300
May32810  0   32911310 1508
April3281 0 0 3292100 0 120 1 
March3311 0 0 332590 0 140 2 
Feb.33310033441300170 0 
Jan3331003346800140 3

* One Palestinian resident of the Gaza Strip has been held by the IPS under the Illegal Combatants Law since Aug. 2014, although he does not appear in the IPS data.

 

 
2016IPS custody    IDF custody
 Palestinian prisoners and detainees held in on what the IPS defines “security” groundsHeld for being in Israel illegally 
MonthAdults16-1814-16Under 14TotalAdultsMinorsTotalMinorsAdults
      DetaineesServing 
sentence		DetaineesServing 
sentence		   
Dec.337200339211001301
Nov.33930034239001202
Oct.33530033819201202
Sept.33730034029001100
Aug.33330033619001002
July339300342112001300
June33830034179001600
May339200341411011602
April333100334104001400
March33610033769001501
Feb.339100340621002700
Jan341100342324002702

* One Palestinian resident of the Gaza Strip has been held by the IPS under the Illegal Combatants Law since Aug. 2014, although he does not appear in the IPS data.

Palestinian prisoners and detainees from the Gaza Strip held in IPS prisons on what it defines “security” grounds, 2013-2015

2015     
MonthAdults18-1616-14Under 14Total
Jan.35710 0 358
Feb.36010 0 361
March36010 0 361
April3570 0 0 357
May3510 0 0 351
June3500 0 0 350
July3460 0 0 346
August3410 0 0 371
Sept.3420 0 0 342
Oct. 3420 0 0 342
Nov.34010 0 341
Dec.****34210 0 343
2014     
MonthAdults18-1616-14Under 14Total
Jan.3730 0 0 373
Feb.3730 0 0 373
March3730 0 0 373
April3730 0 0 373
May3700 0 0 370
June36510 0 366
July36610 0 367
August36910 0 370
Sept.36710 0 368
Oct.36410 0 365
Nov.36110 0 362
Dec.36110 0 362
2013     
MonthAdults18-1616-14Under 14Total
Jan.42120 0 423
Feb.41810 0  419
March41410 0  415
April41010 0  411
May40910 0 410
June40810 0 409
July41110 0 412
Aug.39110 0 392
Sept.39110 0 392
Oct.38510 0 386
Nov.38610 0 387
Dec.3810 0 0 381

* According to figures received from the IDF Spokesperson, during Operation Protective Edge (July-August 2014), 159 Palestinians were apprehended in the Gaza Strip and taken to three purpose-built detention facilities near Gaza. All three facilities were shut down by 5 August 2014. Some of the detainees were released and others handed over to the custody of the IPS (Israel Prison Service), yet relevant figures were not provided. Once of the detainees now in IPS custody is being held under the Incarceration of Unlawful Combatants Law. 

** In addition, two Palestinians from the Gaza Strip were in IDF custody in December 2015.

*** One Palestinian resident of the Gaza Strip has been held by the IPS under the Illegal Combatants Law since Aug. 2014, although he does not appear in the IPS data.


Palestinians from the Gaza Strip held in IPS facilities for being in Israel illegally

2015     
MonthAdults Minors Total
 DetaineesServing
sentence		DetaineesServing
sentence		 
Jan.4160 0 20
Feb. 2140 0 16
March5140 0 19
April2140 0 16
May0140 0 14
June1120 0 13
July2110 0 13
August2110 0 13
Sept.190 0 10
Oct.41010 15
Nov.21110 0 32
Dec.3260 0 29
2014     
MonthAdults Minors Total
 DetaineesServing
sentence		DetaineesServing
sentence		 
Jan.2160 0 18
Feb.5160 0 21
March5150 0 20
April5160 0 21
May3190 0 22
June3200 0 23
July2210 0 23
August3180 0 21
Sept.4170 0 21
Oct.4180 0 22
Nov. 3170 0 20
Dec.1160 0 17
2013     
MonthAdults Minors Total
 DetaineesServing
sentence		DetaineesServing
sentence		 
April6170 0 23
May6160 0 22
June7170 0 24
July6170 0 23
Aug.8200 0 28
Sept.91810 28
Oct.7180 0 25
Nov.5200 0 25
Dec.3170 0 20


Palestinian prisoners and detainees from the Gaza Strip held in IPS prisons on what it defines “security” grounds, 2012-2009

 
2012    
MonthAdults16-18Under 16Total
Jan.4430 0 443
Feb.44210 443
March44110 442
April44110 442
May44010 441
June44110 442
July43320 435
Aug.43120 433
Sept.42920 431
Oct.42720 429
Nov.42320 425
Dec.42120 423
2011    
MonthAdults16-18Under 16Total
Jan.6740 0 674
Feb.6580 0 658
March6470 0 647
April6410 0 641
May6330 0 633
June6340 0 634
July6340 0 634
Aug.6150 0 615
Sept.6130 0 613
Oct.4860 0 486
Nov.4830 0 483
Dec.4450 0 445
2010    
MonthAdults16-18Under 16Total
Jan.72510 726
Feb.72110 722
March71610 717
April70910 710
May70010 701
June69810 699
July69210 693
Aug.68610 687
Sept.67910 680
Oct.67910 680
Nov.67410 675
Dec.6740 0 674
2009    
MonthAdults16-18Under 16Total
May75710 758
June7570 0 757
July7450 0 745
Aug.7390 0 739
Sept.7330 0 733
Oct.7280 0 728
Nov.7260 0 726
Dec.72810 729

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