Israel's secret underground prison exposed: Gaza detainees held in darkness
An investigation by The Guardian has uncovered that Israel is holding Palestinian detainees from Gaza in an underground prison under severe conditions. The "Rakefet" facility, reopened by National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, holds civilians without charge in windowless, subterranean cells with no natural light and minimal provisions.
Israel is detaining numerous Palestinians from Gaza in a secret underground prison where they are held without charge under conditions described as inhumane, according to an investigation by The Guardian. The "Rakefet" facility, located meters below ground, houses detainees in windowless, airless cells completely cut off from the outside world, with many held for months without formal accusations or legal representation.
Historical Facility Reopened
The Rakefet complex was originally built in the 1980s for organized crime leaders but was closed within years due to its inhuman conditions. Far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir reactivated the prison following the October 7, 2023 attacks. According to the Public Committee Against Torture in Israel (PCATI), approximately 100 detainees are currently held at Rakefet, compared to just 15 inmates when the facility was closed in 1985.
Conditions and Treatment
Detainees, including an 18-year-old food vendor and a nurse arrested in hospital scrubs, report being subjected to consistent beatings and mistreatment. PCATI lawyer Janan Abdu stated that those interviewed were civilians, with one young man detained simply for selling food on the street. Prisoners are reportedly allowed out of their cells only once every two days for five minutes of outdoor time. Their mattresses are removed at 4 AM daily and not returned until late at night, forcing them to sit on bare metal bed frames in empty cells.
Legal Proceedings and Official Response
Israeli judges have ordered detainees held "until the war ends" during video hearings that lasted mere minutes, conducted without defense lawyers present and without evidence being presented to defendants. Israeli Prison Services, the Justice Ministry, and military authorities all declined to respond to The Guardian's inquiries about conditions at Rakefet. Minister Ben-Gvir has publicly referred to the detainees as "terrorists" despite the absence of charges, stating "terrorists belong underground."
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