1. United States
2. Ill.
3. Letter

The systemic human rights violations against Palestinian prisoners outlined in this fact sheet are deeply concerning. Detaining over 9,500 Palestinians, including 80 women and 200 children, often without charge or due process through administrative detention, is a grave injustice. Israel's policy of enforced disappearance and withholding information on detainees from Gaza is a clear violation of international law. The reported deaths of 16 prisoners due to torture, medical negligence, and inhumane treatment, as well as the suspected killing of 27 detainees from Gaza, demand immediate accountability. Holding the bodies of 27 Palestinian martyrs is an unconscionable act that compounds the suffering of their families. Israel's arrest campaigns in the West Bank since October 7th, resulting in over 8,270 arrests, including 275 women and 520 children, point to widespread and indiscriminate repression. The spiraling numbers of administrative detainees, now exceeding 3,660, including women and children, demonstrates a systematic policy of arbitrary detention without charge or trial. An arms embargo is needed to hold the Israeli government accountable and is the only positive step towards peace in this region, stopping ethnic cleansing of Palestinians and genocide by Israel. The names of all Palestinians detained as hostages by Israel since October 7th should be publicized by American politicians in order to honor them and demand their release, as justice requires treating them justly as hostages rather than criminals.