'Israel’s' Rakefet prison wing exposed: Hamas, Hezbollah detainees held in extreme conditions

'Israel’s' state broadcasting authority disclosed new details on Monday about a highly secure wing in Ayalon Prison where members of Hamas and Hezbollah are reportedly detained under severe conditions.

According to the authority, “The wing is called Rakefet, an underground facility surrounded by advanced surveillance cameras and strict security measures.” Officials said the unit, which became operational about a year ago, currently houses “dozens of Hamas ‘elite’ members and special naval unit fighters.”

The revelation comes as thousands of Palestinians remain in 'Israeli' custody following mass arrests in Gaza since the war began on Oct. 7, 2023. Many of those detained are still unaccounted for, while others have reportedly died in 'Israeli' prisons.

The facility is also said to hold members of Hezbollah’s Radwan Force, captured during Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) operations along the Lebanese border. 'Israel’s' military campaign against Lebanon, which began with airstrikes on Oct. 8, 2023, escalated into a full-scale war by Sept. 23, 2024, leaving over 4,000 people dead and approximately 17,000 injured.

Citing the head of the Rakefet wing, whose identity was withheld, the authority claimed the prisoners held there are considered some of the most dangerous. “The detainees held there participated in the October 7, 2023 attacks and are among the most dangerous prisoners,” the official said.

The same prison official described Rakefet as a trial model for future detention facilities, saying, “The wing is operated as a pilot model, the first of its kind in the prison service, where guards use ID cards with numbers only, without names, to maintain secrecy.”

The harsh detention conditions were also highlighted. Prisoners are locked in sealed cells for 23 hours a day, with just one hour in a small, enclosed concrete yard where sunlight barely penetrates. During that time, communication is strictly prohibited.

“Prisoners are forbidden from talking to each other during that hour, which includes showering and walking, and the yard’s walls are covered with large images of Gaza’s destruction, clearly visible to the detainees,” the authority reported.

“No prisoner is allowed to leave the wing for any reason, whether to meet a lawyer, receive medical treatment, or attend court sessions; everything is carried out inside the wing,” the report added.

While reports of Palestinians from Gaza being held in Rakefet had surfaced previously, this is the first time such detailed information about the conditions inside the facility has been made public.