4,769 Palestinian Youths Detained in Israeli Prisons
The head of the Palestinian Commission of Prisoners’ Affairs, Raed Abu al-Hummus, has revealed that there are currently 4,769 young Palestinian men and women detained in Israeli prisons. According to him, prisoners from the youth group have contributed to the death toll of Palestinians in Israeli prisons.
“The number of young male prisoners in Israeli prisons between the ages of 18 and 40 reached 4,713, while the number of young female prisoners is 56,” Abu al-Hummus said on Wednesday (12/8/2026), as reported by Anadolu Agency.
Abu al-Hummus made the remarks in connection with International Youth Day, which is commemorated every 12 August. He said that of the 91 Palestinian prisoners killed in Israeli prisons since October 2023, 41 were young people.
“The bodies of 40 of them are still being held by the Israeli authorities, along with dozens of bodies of prisoners from various age groups,” Abu al-Hummus said.
According to him, young Palestinians have the same right to commemorate International Youth Day. “It is the right of all Palestinian youth to mark this day like all young people around the world, to dream, and to plan for a bright future, free from all dangers and forms of threat posed by the (Israeli) occupation to them and to the entire Palestinian people,” Abu al-Hummus said.
“The right to life, freedom, work and movement is guaranteed by international norms and conventions, and this must be realised in the lives of our youth,” Abu al-Hummus added.
He stressed that the presence of the youth group is an important element in the Palestinian struggle. “Palestinian youth are the backbone of the Palestinian people’s struggle and true fighters for liberation from occupation, injustice and oppression,” he said.
“They will remain so until their hopes and dreams of freedom and independence are realised, and until they achieve a normal life in security and stability,” Abu al-Hummus continued.
He called on international institutions, especially organisations focused on youth, to reject the targeting of Palestinian youth and to raise their voices. Especially voices about their right to live free from the restrictions imposed by the Israeli occupation.
According to Palestinian and Israeli human rights groups, more than 9,400 Palestinian prisoners are held in Israeli prisons, including 92 women and more than 370 children. They face torture, starvation and medical neglect. This has resulted in dozens of Palestinian prisoners being killed in Israeli prisons.
Israel has increased violations against Palestinian prisoners since launching its aggression on the Gaza Strip on 7 October 2023.