Palestinian Women Abused, Starved in Israeli Detention

(MENAFN) Israeli prison forces conducted no fewer than 10 raids targeting sections housing Palestinian women detainees at Damon Prison between March and April, the Palestinian Prisoners Society disclosed Sunday, painting a grim picture of systematic mistreatment inside one of Israel's most high-profile detention facilities.

A formal statement by the group described the raids as involving "beatings, forcing prisoners to lie on the ground and handcuffing them behind their backs."

Drawing on firsthand testimonies from women who have since been released, the organization alleged that both male and female guards "deliberately assaulted the prisoners," leaving multiple detainees with visible bruising.

"Israel is holding most of the 88 Palestinian women prisoners in Damon Prison, while others remain in detention and interrogation centers," the statement said.

Among those currently held are two minors and three women in early pregnancy — all recently detained over what Israeli authorities classify as "incitement."

The Palestinian Prisoners Society further warned that the use of solitary confinement has sharply intensified since the outbreak of the Gaza war in October 2023, with at least six women placed in isolation, some for stretches exceeding two weeks.

Severe overcrowding has simultaneously deteriorated conditions across prison cells, the group said, with some cells confining more than 10 women at a time and forcing detainees to sleep on bare floors amid relentless arrest campaigns.

"Starvation policies have become one of the most recurring forms of abuse cited in prisoners' testimonies, especially during Israeli holidays," the statement said.

The organization cited one particularly alarming case in which a single prisoner shed approximately 30 kilograms — roughly 66 pounds — over just several months in custody.

Strip searches have also become routine practice since 2023, the group said, occurring notably during prisoner transfers to Hasharon Prison, which serves as a temporary holding facility, and upon intake at Damon Prison itself. The searches were described as "humiliating and degrading" in nature.

The society categorized strip searches among "the most prominent and widely used policies" inflicted on both male and female detainees, identifying them as a form of sexual assault.

Medical neglect compounds the situation further, according to the statement, with Israeli authorities reportedly denying treatment to prisoners suffering from chronic conditions. Two women in custody are currently battling cancer, the group said.

The vast majority of women detainees are held either over alleged "incitement" or under administrative detention — imprisoned without formal charge based on what Israel designates a "secret file."

The Palestinian Prisoners Society renewed its demands for the immediate release of women it described as arbitrarily detained, with particular urgency around minors, pregnant women, and those with serious medical conditions.

It also called for an end to what it termed "organized crimes and violations" against prisoners, characterizing them as "one aspect of the ongoing genocide against prisoners and detainees."

The allegations echo testimony delivered last month by Raed Abu al-Humus, head of the PLO Commission of Prisoners' Affairs, who told media that Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails are enduring a "silent genocide," encompassing starvation, solitary confinement, denial of medical care, beatings, and humiliation.

The broader detention crisis extends well beyond Damon Prison. More than 9,400 Palestinians are currently incarcerated in Israeli facilities, where torture, starvation, and medical negligence have been linked to dozens of deaths, according to both Palestinian and Israeli rights organizations.

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