Recently released Palestinian prisoners have given harrowing accounts of their experiences in Israeli detention, describing the conditions as akin to being buried alive. The former detainees spoke of systematic abuse and inhumane treatment within the prison system.
Upon arrival at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah, in the central Gaza Strip, the released prisoners were met with emotional reunions with their families. Tears and embraces marked the end of their captivity, but the scars of their experiences remain.
One former prisoner recounted spending three months in the “Sde Teiman” detention center in the Negev desert, stating that it felt like three decades. He described witnessing various forms of torture, and displayed broken teeth as evidence of the physical abuse he endured.
Gaith Alian Muhammad Abu Aoun, a fisherman, stated he was arrested by Israeli forces in March while attempting to fish at sea with his colleagues. He emphasized the dire situation of prisoners within the Israeli prison system.
Reem Abu Jazar, a released prisoner from the West Bank, stated she was forcibly transferred to the Gaza Strip, separating her from her sick daughter and husband in Ramallah. She said she was arrested last December at a checkpoint, accused of possessing a knife and affiliation with Hamas. Abu Jazar claimed she was denied legal representation and never brought before a court.
Abu Jazar further alleged the use of invasive strip searches, nighttime interrogations, and sleep deprivation. She said the approximately 20 days she spent in Israeli custody felt like years due to the humiliation and beatings inflicted by both male and female guards, coupled with constant surveillance. She also highlighted the presence of numerous underage female prisoners, detained for social media posts about Gaza during the war. She stated that these young women are suffering immensely in detention.
According to Abu Jazar, female prisoners face degrading treatment, verbal abuse, and physical violence, making the denial of food and water seem minor in comparison. She noted that many female prisoners are held under administrative detention, meaning they are imprisoned without formal charges, and their detention orders are renewed every six months. She called for immediate attention to the plight of Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails.
