Human rights defender Ayman Ghraieb abducted by the Israeli army

On 17 November 2025, Palestinian human rights defender Ayman Ghraieb was detained in the al-Fasayil area (Jordan Valley, West Bank) by the Israeli Army and forcibly disappeared for two days.

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Ayman Ghraieb is a Palestinian human rights defender whose work focuses on documenting human rights violations committed by Israeli authorities and settlers against Palestinians in the West Bank. He actively supports marginalised and threatened Palestinian communities, such as farmers whose lands are targeted for seizure and subjected to settler violence. He also coordinates and participates in local and international solidarity campaigns aimed at protecting these communities. Additionally, he shares photos and videos on his social media accounts, highlighting Israeli violations in the Jordan Valley (Al-Aghwar), which constitutes 30% of the West Bank's total area. Due to his work, Ayman Ghraieb has faced harassment, threats, and arrest by Israeli authorities, as well as smear campaigns by settlers and right-wing organizations.

On 17 November 2025, Ayman Ghraieb was in his car with another person in the al-Fasayil area of the Jordan Valley in the West Bank when a group of Israeli settlers approached them. Among the settlers was a person serving as the security coordinator between the army and the settlers in that region. The settlers threatened the defender and then contacted the Israeli army to come and arrest him. Ayman Ghraieb was taken by the Israeli army to an unknown location. For two days, both the Israeli army and the police refused to acknowledge that he was in their custody.

On 20 November 2025, after a two-day inquiry, Ayamn Ghraieb’s lawyer, Riham Nasra, managed to obtain information from the Israeli authorities regarding his whereabouts. The authorities informed the lawyer that Ayman Gharaieb is being held in the Samra Israeli military base in the Jordan Valley. They further stated that his first interrogation is scheduled to take place on 23 November 2025, six days after his arrest, and indicated their intention to place him under administrative detention.

The lawyer also reported that the human rights defender was hospitalised after being transferred from the custody of the Israeli army to the Israeli Prison Service. However, the authorities refused to disclose the location of the hospital or his current medical condition, despite the fact that he was in good health at the time of his abduction.

Front Line Defenders is deeply concerned about the safety of Ayman Ghraieb, and believes that he was abducted as a result of his peaceful human rights work.

Front Line Defenders calls on the Israeli authorities to:

1. Immediately and unconditionally release Ayman Ghraieb along with other detained Palestinian human rights defenders;
2. Ensure that Ayman Ghraieb receives proper medical treatment;
3. Ensure that Ayman Ghraieb has access to his lawyer and family;
4. Put an end to violations committed by Israeli settlers against Palestinian human rights defenders in the West Bank;
5. Cease the targeting of all human rights defenders in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and guarantee in all circumstances that they are able to carry out their legitimate and peaceful human rights work without fear of reprisals and free from all restrictions, including judicial harassment.