Palestinian journalists kidnapped and detained by Israel describe a terrifying environment of systematic abuse, torture, and deliberate malnutrition in custody, according to a comprehensive new report released on Thursday by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ).
The study—'We returned from hell': Palestinian journalists recount torture in Israeli prisons—is based on interviews with 59 journalists who were released between Oct. 2023 and Jan. 2026. All except one claimed to have been subjected to torture, abuse, or other types of violence while in Israeli custody facilities.
CPJ said the consistency and scale of the testimonies point to a deliberate, institutionalized pattern of mistreatment rather than isolated incidents.
In their accounts, journalists described vicious beatings that left some with broken bones and lasting injuries, prolonged starvation, medical neglect, and sexual violence, including rape. Many also reported psychological abuse, including threats against family members, forced stress positions causing extreme pain, and prolonged exposure to high-volume sound intended to deprive them of sleep.
"CPJ's reporting shows a clear pattern in how Palestinian journalists were treated in Israeli custody," CPJ CEO Jodie Ginsberg said in a statement. "When dozens of journalists independently describe physical and psychological abuse, the international community must take action."
The organization documented the detention of at least 94 Palestinian journalists and one media worker during the period covered by the report: 32 from the Gaza Strip, 60 from the West Bank, and two inside Israel. Thirty remained in custody as of Feb. 17, 2026.
More than 80% of those interviewed were never formally charged with a crime and were held under Israel's administrative detention system, which permits incarceration without charge and allows detention orders to be renewed indefinitely.
At least 21 journalists said they were denied adequate legal representation, with 17 reporting that they were not allowed to speak with a lawyer at all.
"These are not isolated incidents," said Sara Qudah, CPJ's regional director. "Across dozens of cases, CPJ documented a recurring set of abuse — from beatings to starvation, sexual violence and medical neglect — directed at journalists because of their work."
Fifty-five of the 59 journalists interviewed reported extreme hunger or malnutrition during detention. CPJ calculated an average weight loss of 23.5 kilograms (54 pounds), noting that photographs reviewed by the organization show skeletal bodies, protruding ribs, and gaunt faces of those who were once healthy professionals.
CPJ documented 27 cases of medical neglect, including untreated fractures, eye injuries, and wounds stitched without anesthesia. Journalists described unsanitary living conditions, chronic food shortages, and the denial of treatment for serious pre-existing conditions.
In some cases, CPJ reported alleged complicity by medical staff in acts of abuse.
Two journalists told CPJ that they were raped while in prison. Sexual abuse was mentioned several times in testimonials, with captives describing assaults designed to humiliate, frighten, and leave permanent psychological scars.
At least 14 journalists said they were subjected to prolonged exposure to high-volume sound—including continuous amplified music—particularly at the Sde Teiman detention facility. They said the tactic caused sleep deprivation and severe sensory disorientation.
CPJ has called on Israel to grant independent international monitors access to detention facilities and to conduct transparent, impartial investigations into all allegations. The organization urged involvement from mechanisms, including special rapporteurs from the United Nations.
"The scale and consistency of these testimonies point to something far beyond isolated misconduct," Ginsberg said.
CPJ said it emailed Israel's Ministry of National Security for comment but received no response. It also sent multiple requests to the Israeli military's press office seeking comment on specific allegations. A spokesperson for the Israeli military claimed that detainees are treated in accordance with international law and that any violations of protocol would be examined.
CPJ's report argues that the abuse described by former detainees reflects a deliberate effort to intimidate and silence Palestinian journalists documenting events in Gaza, the West Bank, and inside Israel.
Journalists told CPJ they were interrogated about their reporting, social media posts, and affiliations with media outlets. Some said they were accused of incitement or security offenses without being presented with formal charges.
Qudah said the testimonies reveal what she described as a strategy aimed at destroying journalists' ability to bear witness. "The continued silence from the international community only enables this," she said.
The report adds to mounting scrutiny over conditions in Israeli detention facilities since the outbreak of war in October 2023.
For the journalists interviewed, CPJ said, the physical injuries were compounded by psychological trauma that persists long after release. Many described returning home severely weakened, struggling with chronic pain, insomnia, and anxiety.
"We returned from hell," one former detainee told CPJ, describing months of confinement marked by hunger, humiliation, and fear.
CPJ said accountability and independent oversight are essential to prevent further abuses and to safeguard press freedom in one of the world's most dangerous environments for journalists.
