Israeli court: Palestinian prisoners denied basic nutrition

Israel’s Supreme Court on September 7th ruled that Palestinian security prisoners are being denied basic nutrition and ordered authorities to enhance the quantity of food provided to them, The New Arab via AP reported.

The decision marks one of few instances in the 23-month Israel–Hamas war where the judiciary has formally challenged government policy. The unanimous verdict mandates food to be provided which is sufficient to sustain “a basic level of existence,” acknowledging evidence that current provisions are dangerously inadequate.

Rights groups have long documented dire conditions. Euro-Med’s analysis of ex- Palestinian detainees said they had faced routine torture, forced isolation, starvation, and denial of water. Meanwhile, the global watchdog B’Tselem labelled treatment in Israeli jails as institutionalised abuse, and described them as torture camps.

According to the Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI) under the “food reduction policy” implemented in Israeli jails, some detainees lost up to 40 kg, with one diabetic man resorting to eating toothpaste to raise his blood sugar.

Additional testimonies from Palestinian detainees describe an experience of starvation as well as isolation, humiliation, and outright physical abuse, alongside a lack of access to medical care. Earlier, in May, detainees at the secret “Rakevet” facility recounted extreme forms of torture with a prolonged deprivation of food, water, light, and dignity.

The Court’s ruling represents a legal acknowledgment of these documented abuses. However, Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir denounced the verdict, insisting that the policy of providing only the legal minimum will continue. Observers suggest that without rigorous enforcement, improvements in nutrition may remain largely symbolic.