Detainee Mohammad Rayan

Illness, Hunger, and Medical Neglect Devastate Palestinian Detainees in Israeli Jails

May 6, 2025

The harsh reality faced by sick Palestinian detainees in Israeli detention continues to deteriorate, as the occupation authorities intensify their policy of punishment through deliberate medical neglect.

The systematic denial of healthcare, especially for elderly and ill detainees, adds unbearable physical and psychological suffering. Israeli prisons have become virtual coffins, those who enter are lost, and those who survive are reborn.

In a report published today, the Commission of Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs highlighted several alarming health cases among detainees:

. Hussein Abu Kweik, 68, from Ramallah, is a father of seven and was arrested on November 15, 2023. Currently held in Section 24 of the Negev prison under administrative detention, he has spent a total of 17 years in Israeli jails. He has lost over 60 kilograms and suffers from severe joint and knee inflammation without receiving any treatment, despite repeated pleas. He also has untreated scabies. Abu Kweik is a survivor of an assassination attempt during the Second Intifada, when his car was bombed, killing his wife, son, and two daughters.

. Thaer Ouda, 40, from Balata Refugee Camp, has been detained since September 25, 2024, and is currently in Section 8 of the Negev Prison. He was infected with scabies and only received minimal care when the condition became severe. Symptoms remain visible on his hands. He describes conditions in the prison as degrading, with frequent insults and no improvement in detention conditions.

. Riyad Swafteh, 22, from Tubas, has been held under administrative detention in the Negev Prison since May 10, 2023. He has suffered from scabies for around eight months without any medical intervention.

. Raed Adel Wadie Ratrout, 39, from Nablus, has served 18 years of a 27-year sentence and is held in Section 21 of the Negev Prison. He is experiencing serious dental issues but has been denied treatment. He also notes that both the quality and quantity of food remain poor.

. Yahya Jamil Al-Khatib, 36, from Beit Rima/ Ramallah, was arrested on February 22, 2024, and has had his administrative detention extended four times. He shares a cell with two prisoners suffering from scabies, yet none of them have received treatment.He reported harsh sanitary conditions and lack of access to showers.

. Sohaib Said Mohammad Kabha, 30, from Ya’bad/ Jenin, suffers from ongoing headaches and blurred vision in his left eye due to a head injury caused by beating from prison guards. A month ago, he also contracted the new "amoeba" virus, resulting in a weight loss of over 50 kilograms. Kabha was arrested on November 22, 2023, and is serving an 18-month administrative sentence.

. Mahmoud Mohammad Allan, 32, from Anata, Jerusalem, suffers from spinal pain and a serious injury to his right hand following a violent assault by prison guards in March 2024 while in Ramleh Prison.
Despite multiple requests for treatment, he has received none. He is currently held in the Negev Prison and was sentenced to four years after his arrest on November 27, 2022.

. Mohammad Maher Sarsour, 23, from Beitunia near Ramallah, sustained severe bruises across his body after being brutally beaten by guards about a week ago. He reported that “all detainees in Section 28 of the Negev are infected with the amoeba virus, and are suffering from continuous diarrhea and vomiting.”
Sarsour has been detained since May 26, 2024, under administrative detention. His detention has been extended twice, and he is expected to be released on May 22, 2025.

The administration of Damoun prison targets elderly women detainees

In a Harrowing Testimony by Detainee Bilal A'jarmeh

The Smell of Death Hangs Over Palestinian Detainees in Israeli Jails

May 13, 2025

Amid agony and oppression, behind iron bars and forgotten by the world, Palestinian detainees endure unbearable conditions. Hunger gnaws at their stomachs, strange diseases devour their bodies, and the deliberate neglect by Israeli prison authorities turns every day into a battle for survival.

Since the onslaught on Gaza began on October 7, 2023, the situation inside Israeli prisons has sharply deteriorated. Severe food shortages, squalid living conditions, and systematic medical neglect have left detainees' bodies frail, unable to resist even the most minor illness. Diseases, many of them previously unseen, have spread rapidly, finding in the detainees’ weakened bodies a fertile ground to flourish.

Twelve detainees share a single, tiny container of yogurt for the day. Driven by starvation, they are forced to eat spoiled food unfit for human consumption. Many are so weak and can barely move their lips. According to testimonies, the famine in the prisons has become more severe than even the infamous famine in Somalia. Detainees have no means to wash their eating utensils; the prison administration provides no cleaning supplies or replacements. Those taken on prison transport (the "Bosta") often remain without food for days.

As for sleep, if they can sleep at all, it is on bare foam mattresses—no blankets, no proper bedding. Some detainees, suffering from severe skin diseases, find their flesh sticking to the foam. Since the Gaza war, unknown illnesses have emerged, sweeping through prison cells like wildfire.

One chilling account comes from Bilal A'jarmeh, 44, from the town of Silwad. Detained since 7 September 2003 and currently held in Israel’s Janot Prison, A'jarmeh spoke to a lawyer from the Commission of Detainees Affairs during her visit:

“I’ve spent decades in prison and seen many diseases, including scabies. But what we’ve experienced recently is different, it’s something else entirely.”

Describing his personal ordeal, he said:
“About a year ago, I was infected with what they now call ‘Scabies’, but this wasn’t like anything we’ve seen before. Boils formed inside my knees, causing severe swelling and excruciating pain. The prison administration offered no treatment. Fellow detainee Hussam Shaheen would press the boils daily to drain the pus, three full cups a day.

I suffered in agony for four straight months under the watch of the jailers, and not a single painkiller was offered. My weight dropped from 160 kg to just 60 kg.”

Though now recovered, A'jarmeh still suffers from lasting pain.
“What’s alarming,” he adds, “is that the symptoms differ from one detainee to another, even when we’re in the same room. Some detainees emit an unbearable odor from their bodies. The situation defies imagination, it is more horrifying than words can describe.”

Many detainees wear the same undergarment for over a year. Each owns just one set of clothes, with no cleaning products available. If they attempt to wash their clothes with water, they must lie in bed until the garment dries before putting it back on.
A'jarmeh said he had to sew his torn underwear with a piece of wire, and he’s still wearing it more than a year later. He has no alternative.

Humiliation is a daily routine. “We die a thousand deaths each day,” one detainee says, “when they curse us and our families. The insults and degradation, sometimes, death seems more merciful than the humiliation.”

If the detainees survive these conditions and live to tell their stories, they will recount tales soaked in blood and pain, stories of abandonment, of facing death alone, like a wounded horse trapped between the hammer of oppression and the anvil of suffering.

If they speak, will the world listen? And if they fall silent forever—who will carry their truth?

Detainees in Ofer Prison Endure Medical Negligence and Inhumane Conditions

Commission of Detainees Affairs: Detainees in Ofer Prison Endure Medical Negligence and Inhumane Conditions

May 5, 2025

The Commission of Detainees Affairs has reported alarming conditions faced by Palestinian detainees held in Ofer prison, highlighting ongoing medical neglect and escalating repressive measures by the prison administration. According to the Commission’s legal representative, who recently visited the facility, detainees are subjected to deliberate medical negligence and degrading treatment, including repeated violent raids on their cells by special units.

The report states that detainees continue to suffer from poor-quality meals that are insufficient in quantity and lack essential nutrients such as salt and sugar. In a recent escalation, the prison’s Metzada unit stormed several sections, confiscated prisoners’ mattresses, and imposed collective punishments.

Recreational time is frequently denied without justification, and when granted, it is limited to only 30 minutes at 6:00 AM. Additionally, prisoners are struggling with severe shortages of clothing and personal necessities.

The Commission’s lawyer documented several individual cases during the visit:

Qutaiba Samour, an administrative detainee from Tulkarm, held in Section 19, Room 8, has been suffering from persistent skin irritation for over a month. Despite repeated requests for medical tests, the prison administration has failed to respond.

Abdullah Mohammad Saleh Manasrah, 18, from Jenin, held in Section 11, Room 15, suffers from dental pain and skin allergies. He is in need of medical ointments and thorough examination, yet his pleas have gone unanswered.

Sharaf Al-Din Adel Mohammad Abu Dayya, an administrative detainee from Halhul, held in Section 25, Room 14, suffers from vision problems that began prior to his arrest. He has requested proper medical evaluation, which has been repeatedly denied.

Mohammad Mahmoud Issa, from Bethlehem, held in Section 16, Room 12, is experiencing multiple health issues including ear infections, fungal conditions in his feet, and stomach complications. He stated that these problems developed after his detention and has filed multiple requests for treatment, all of which have been ignored by the prison administration.

The Commission condemned the ongoing violations and urged immediate international intervention to ensure the protection of detainees’ basic rights and access to necessary medical care.

Jailers in Damoun Prison intends to provoke female detainees

During his participation in a pro- Palestine march in Madrid

Abu Al-Hummos: “The voices of tens of thousands today are a powerful call to end the genocide against Palestinians.”

Madrid – May 9, 2025

During his participation in a massive solidarity march in the Spanish capital, Head of the Commission of Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs, Raed Abu Al-Hummos, expressed deep appreciation for the overwhelming turnout of Spanish citizens, Palestinians, Arabs, and international supporters who took to the streets in protest of the ongoing Israeli aggression on Gaza and the broader Palestinian people.

Abu Al-Hummos, currently visiting Spain with an official delegation from the Commission, described the demonstration as an inspiring and unifying scene that brought together people of diverse backgrounds, all demanding justice and an end to the crimes committed by the Israeli occupation. Banners and chants throughout the march reaffirmed the Palestinian right to freedom and independence, while condemning the Israeli leadership for its brutal actions.

“What we witnessed today in Madrid is a testament to the power of global conscience,” he said. “We hope to see similar mobilizations across European capitals, as such grassroots pressure is essential to compel governments to take meaningful action in the face of ongoing atrocities.”

He further commended the Palestinian community in Spain and the organizers for their role in making the event a success. He also thanked the Spanish government and people for their principled stance, noting that Spain’s recognition of the State of Palestine is a vital step that bolsters the Palestinian people’s pursuit of justice, statehood, and freedom.

Abu Al-Hummos emphasized that the plight of Palestinian detainees was a prominent theme throughout the march, resonating strongly with participants. He called for strengthened coordination between institutions working on detainee issues, Palestinian embassies, and diaspora communities, stressing the importance of clear and unified strategies to advance the national cause on the international stage.

Commission of Detainees’ Affairs: Gilboa Prison inmates endure escalating brutality and repeated raids

May 4, 2025

The Commission of Detainees’ Affairs reported today, Sunday, through its legal representative, that conditions inside Israel’s Gilboa Prison have become increasingly inhumane. The prison administration has been intensifying its crackdown on inmates, regularly storming their cells, beating them savagely, and subjecting them to violent assaults. Numerous inmates have sustained serious injuries, including fractured ribs, impaired vision and hearing, and severe abdominal pain resulting from repeated blows to the head, eyes, and abdomen.

On April 21, 2025, special units, accompanied by aggressive police dogs, raided several cells, mauling inmates with claws and leaving deep wounds and lacerations. A subsequent assault took place on April 28, when forces stormed Room 16 in Section 5 and brutally beat eight detainees in what was described as a frenzied attack.

The Commission’s lawyer further revealed that scabies is spreading rapidly among the prison population, yet no medical treatment is being provided. Some inmates are suffering from painful skin infections, and many are being further punished by being denied access to the prison yard and daily recreation.

Particular concern was raised regarding the health of Ibrahim Al-Ramadi, 23, from Sheikh Jarrah in Jerusalem. Al-Ramadi has long suffered from chronic migraines and a congenital heart condition involving fluid around the heart. Despite his urgent need for specialized medication, he has received no treatment since his arrest. He also had scabies several months ago, and his condition continues to worsen.

Another detainee , Nasser Ba’ara, 29, from Nablus, is reportedly suffering from broken ribs and extensive bruising across his body as a result of the beatings he endured during the latest crackdown.

• World Press Freedom Day: Israel Has Carried Out at Least 180 Arrests of Palestinian Journalists Since Start of Gaza Genocide

Commission of Detainees’ Affairs, Palestinian Prisoner’s Society, & Addameer Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association

Ramallah, Palestine - Israeli occupation forces have carried out at least 180 arrests among Palestinian journalists both in the West Bank and Gaza since the start of the genocide in October 2023, Palestinian prisoner defense groups said on the occasion of World Press Freedom Day marked annually on May 3.

Among the 180 arrests, 49 Palestinian journalists who were detained after the genocide began remain behind bars, in addition to six others who were arrested beforehand.

This period has been the deadliest in the history of Palestinian journalism. The Israeli occupation targets Palestinian journalists in a systematic policy of killings and arrests. According to the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate, more than 200 journalists have been killed since the start of the genocide.

The targeting of Palestinian journalists—whether through assassinations or arrests—has historically been one of the main policies employed by the occupation, and it has escalated to an unprecedented level since the genocide began. The attacks on journalists have marked a critical and painful chapter in the history of Palestinian journalism, especially in Gaza. The occupation has not only targeted them while doing their journalistic work but has also systematically targeted their families. Many journalists and their families have been killed during the genocide as part of the occupation's retaliatory efforts. Families have been turned into targets and tools of intimidation and revenge in a continuous attempt to silence journalists and assassinate the truth and details of the genocide in Gaza.

Prisoner groups noted that the occupation continues to forcibly disappear Palestinian journalists Nidal Al-Wahidi and Haitham Abdel Wahid who were abducted from Gaza. Since October 7, the occupation has refused to reveal their fate - whether they are alive or not - despite efforts by numerous human rights organizations and ongoing demands for information. It is known that the occupation employed enforced disappearance broadly against detainees from Gaza. This persisted until certain legal amendments allowed the disclosure of detainees’ whereabouts in prisons and camps, but the practice has not stopped — with many detainees from Gaza remain forcibly disappeared.

Among the 49 detained journalists, 19 are being held under the so-called “administrative detention” policy without trial or charge. This policy has affected thousands of Palestinians in an ongoing attempt to impose greater control and censorship, depriving them of their right to freedom of opinion and expression, and preventing them from exposing the occupation’s crimes that permeate every aspect of Palestinian life. Many journalists have been subject to administrative detention — some have been released, while others remain imprisoned. One such case is journalist Nidal Abu Aker from Bethlehem, who has spent nearly 20 years in occupation prisons, most of it under administrative detention.

The occupation has transformed social media platforms and journalistic work from tools of free expression into tools of repression and pretexts for arrest, under the guise of so-called “incitement.” The occupation deliberately crafted vague definitions of “incitement and sympathy” without clear parameters, enabling it to use them as weapons against journalists in particular, and Palestinians in general, to imprison them on a mass scale.

Detained journalists face all the violations endured by other prisoners, including systematic torture, severe beatings, starvation, medical neglect, and continuous humiliation and abuse. They are held under harsh and degrading detention conditions and are continuously deprived of their rights.

Prisoner institutions renew their demands for the immediate release of detained journalists in Israeli prisons and for the disclosure of the fate of Gaza’s disappeared journalists. They also call on the United Nations and all international bodies to assume their responsibilities regarding the crimes committed by the occupation against detainees, and to move beyond merely issuing reports and statements by ending the systematic inaction in the face of the ongoing genocide and aggression.