Palestinian detainees face torture, hunger, disease, says rights group

RAMALLAH / ISTANBUL

The Palestinian Prisoners Society reported on Wednesday an increase in the use of electroshock devices and plastic bullets against Palestinian detainees in Israeli prisons, as well as outbreaks of scabies in the Negev and Ofer prisons.

In a statement, the society said its lawyers visited dozens of prisoners, including women and children, in seven different Israeli prisons throughout September.

Testimonies from detainees revealed that the Israeli prison system continues to commit systematic inhumane treatment and acts of brutality that can be classified as crimes, the statement noted.

The society stressed that repression tactics inside the prisons have escalated, particularly through the increased use of electroshock and plastic bullets. It also emphasized that scabies has spread widely in Negev and Ofer prisons.

According to prisoners’ accounts, detention conditions remain unchanged with no signs of improvement. They said the lack of adequate food leaves them in a state of constant hunger, while they are also deprived of basic necessities.

The statement underscored that Negev prison, one of the largest facilities where thousands of detainees are held, has become a center of repression, torture, and assaults since the start of the war in Gaza.

The prison has also turned into a hotspot for the spread of diseases and epidemics, which has led to the deaths of many detainees, it added.

Prisoners further reported severe shortages of clothing, with some saying they have been unable to change their clothes for six months.

The statement also highlighted testimonies from female detainees in Damon prison, who described suffering from repression, strip searches, beatings, and denial of their special needs.

“The crimes being committed have reached a level that can no longer be described in words,” the society declared, calling on the international community to take urgent action.

More than 11,100 Palestinians held in Israeli prisons are facing torture, hunger, and health crises, according to the statement.

Since Oct. 7, 2023, Israeli military operations in the Gaza Strip have killed more than 65,000 Palestinians.