WINDHOEK, Set.22 — More than 9,400 Palestinian prisoners and detainees are being held in Israeli prisons, with a new fact sheet raising concerns over worsening conditions, including overcrowding, food shortages, poor hygiene and inadequate medical care.
The fact sheet, based on testimonies collected by Palestinian prisoner organisations and reports from lawyers and human-rights groups, describes conditions across several prisons, including Damon, Megiddo, Naqab, Gilboa, Ramleh and Janot.
The Palestinian Prisoner’s Society reported in July that about 9,400 Palestinians were in Israeli prisons, including more than 350 children, 99 women and more than 3,200 people held under administrative detention without charge or trial.
According to the fact sheet, many prisoners are forced to sleep on floors because of overcrowding, while food portions are inadequate and some prisoners have suffered major weight loss.
It also reports shortages of basic hygiene products such as soap, shampoo and sanitary products, with scabies and other skin diseases spreading among prisoners.
Medical care is another major concern. The report alleges that prisoners with chronic illnesses and serious medical conditions are not receiving adequate treatment.
The fact sheet also documents allegations of beatings, electric shocks, prolonged shackling, strip searches and the use of stun grenades, pepper spray and other forms of force during prison raids.
Some of the most serious allegations concern sexual violence, including allegations involving children. The report says many such cases remain difficult to document because victims may fear retaliation, stigma or further abuse.
The situation of children in detention has also drawn attention. Palestinian prisoner organisations have reported more than 350 children being held in Israeli prisons, mainly at Megiddo and Ofer.
The Palestinian Commission of Detainees’ Affairs and the Palestinian Prisoner’s Society have separately documented similar complaints following visits to prisons, including allegations of starvation, physical assaults, medical neglect and poor living conditions.
The reports come amid continuing international concern over the treatment of Palestinian detainees.
However, the allegations contained in the factsheet cannot all be independently verified from the document alone. The claims should therefore be understood as allegations based largely on prisoner testimonies, lawyers’ accounts and human-rights documentation.
The scale of the detention system remains significant, with thousands of Palestinians held in Israeli prisons and detention facilities, including people serving sentences, awaiting trial and those held without charge under administrative detention.
The continuing reports of poor conditions and alleged abuse have increased calls for greater access to prisoners, independent monitoring and accountability for any violations.
