DZWatch Exclusive: A newly released Israeli government report has acknowledged the practice of denying Palestinian prisoners access to drinking water for extended periods, in some cases up to 12 hours. The report cites these actions as a form of collective punishment during the conflict in Gaza.
The findings stem from a report issued by the Public Defender’s Office, an entity within the Israeli Ministry of Justice. Representatives from the office conducted visits to prisons throughout 2024. The report details instances where Palestinian prisoners were deliberately deprived of water, sometimes for significant portions of the day, as a punitive measure.
According to the report, the policy of restricting water access was implemented in at least some sections of the prisons. Prisoners were systematically denied drinking water during specific hours of the day.
The Public Defender’s Office conducted three visits to the Ketziot Prison (Negev Desert) in southern Israel during May, June, and September 2024. The initial two visits revealed the implementation of the restrictive water policy.
The admission comes after a petition was filed with a Jerusalem court requesting the release of these reports. Authorities initially refused, citing national security concerns related to the detention of Israeli citizens in Gaza. However, the Ministry of Justice has now released six reports, arguing that the changed circumstances make their release possible.
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