Israeli authorities have issued administrative detention orders - detaining individuals without charge or trial - against 40 Palestinian detainees held in Israeli jails, the Palestinian Prisoner’s Society (PPS) said on Thursday.

According to PPS attorney Mahmoud Halabi, 18 of the 40 detainees received renewed administrative detention orders, while the rest received an order for the first time.

Israel’s policy of administrative detention has been widely condemned by human rights groups, and allows for the detention of Palestinians without charge or trial for renewable intervals, usually ranging between three and six months.

“Israel's use of administrative detention blatantly violates the restrictions of international law. Israel carries it out in a highly classified manner that denies detainees the possibility of mounting a proper defense,” says Israeli human rights group B’Tselem.

A total of 453 Palestinians are currently under administrative detention, according to Palestinian prisoners rights group Addameer.