Israel keeps Gaza inmates behind bars after they finish sentences

Israeli authorities are detaining Palestinian prisoners from Gaza who have already completed their prison terms, a practice described by rights expert Riyad al‑Ashqar as a clear breach of international humanitarian law. At least 36 detainees arrested before the October 2023 war remain in custody despite having served their sentences, and the Prisoners' Media Office reports a total of 43 such individuals, with seven more expected to face the same fate by year‑end. Notable cases include Mohammed Youssef al‑Qudra, who finished an 11‑year term in June 2025, and Mohammed Abdul Karim al‑Qadi, whose 10‑year sentence ended over a year ago, yet both remain imprisoned.

Al‑Ashqar says Israel continues the detention under emergency measures imposed after the 7 October 2023 attacks, without any judicial order or legal justification. Since the conflict began, Israeli forces have detained more than 15,000 Palestinians from Gaza, including women, children, the elderly and disabled, with an estimated 2,000 still held. The policy is portrayed as retaliatory, targeting Gaza residents even after their sentences expire.