- Details
- Category: News
- Hits: 289
Detainee Tasneem Odeh: Arrested for old Facebook posts and held in cruel conditions
July 27, 2025
A lawyer from the Commission of Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs, reported, following a visit to Damoun Prison, that Israeli occupation forces arrested 22-year-old Tasneem Barakat Odeh from Jerusalem on December 12, 2024. Tasneem was while she was driving her private car to transport students. It is worth noting that she is in her final year at the Faculty of Law at Al-Quds University.
She was taken from outside a school without any explanation. Officers stormed her car, confiscating her phone and iPad. She was then transferred to the Moscobiya Interrogation Center, and held for 14 days under the pretext of old Facebook posts from 2022 in which she mourned her father. During this period, she was subjected to daily interrogations lasting between six and seven hours, during which she was repeatedly insulted and cursed.
She was moved to Hasharon Prison after interrogation, where she spent one night in extremely difficult conditions, including a full strip search. She was later transferred to Damon Prison.
Tasneem pointed out: “During one of my court sessions at the Jerusalem Magistrate Court, I was beaten on the head and face by a prison guard. I was also held in the detainees’ transport vehicle (Bosta) for more than two hours with the engine and air conditioning turned off, which caused me to nearly lose consciousness due to suffocation.”
She further noted that prison forces had recently raided the women's section using police dogs and tear gas. The cells were thoroughly searched, and the female detainees were subjected to collective punishment for trivial and unreasonable reasons, such as old writings on the walls. Among the punishments was a seven-day ban on going out to the prison yard.
In addition, Tasneem highlighted that the cells in Damon Prison are fully sealed, with no ventilation, despite the severe overcrowding and high temperatures. A total of 43 female detainees are currently being held there.
- Details
- Category: News
- Hits: 330
Detainee Mohammad Rabee’ Victim of Systematic Medical Negligence
20/07/2025
Following his recent visit to Gilboa Prison, the lawyer from the Commission of Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs reported that Mohammad Osama Rabee’ (21 years old), a resident of Beit Anan near Jerusalem, is being subjected to systematic and deliberate medical negligence, an approach increasingly used to slowly kill Palestinian detainees, as witnessed in numerous similar cases across Israeli prisons.
Rabee’ had undergone lung surgery prior to his arrest in 2021. However, his health condition has significantly worsened since he was brutally assaulted by prison special forces. He now suffers from intense chest pain and severe breathing difficulties, in addition to chronic headaches. Moreover, he has been battling an advanced case of scabies for over a year, although signs of recovery have recently begun to appear.
Despite his critical health condition, Rabee’ has repeatedly submitted requests to the prison administration seeking medical attention and access to the prison clinic. All his appeals, however, have been systematically rejected.
It is important to note that Rabee’ was arrested on 07/03/2024 and was originally sentenced to nine months in prison. Yet upon completing his sentence, he was shocked to discover that his case had been transferred to administrative detention. He is currently serving his second term under this arbitrary and indefinite form of detention.
- Details
- Category: News
- Hits: 267
Palestinian Political Detainee from Jenin Martyred 7 Days After Arrest
17 July 2025
Commission of Detainees' Affairs & Palestinian Prisoner's Society
Ramallah, occupied Palestine - A 53-year-old Palestinian political detainee, Sameer Mohammad Yousif al-Rifai, has been martyred in the Israeli occupation’s custody, just seven days after his arrest from his home in the village of Rummaneh in Jenin in the northern West Bank, on July 10.
The Palestinian Commission of Detainees’ Affairs was informed of the development this morning, July 17. Al-Rifai was a husband and a father of five. He was scheduled to have his first Israeli military court session today, at the Salem military court near Nablus. According to medical reports provided by his family, he suffered from heart problems prior to his arrest and required continuous medical follow-up and care.
Al-Rifai now joins the long list of martyrs of the prisoners’ movement, who have died or were killed as a result of the systematic crimes carried out by the Israeli prison system in an unprecedented manner since the start of the ongoing genocide in Gaza - foremost among them: torture, medical neglect, and starvation.
The Commission and the Palestinian Prisoner’s Society (PPS) hold the Israeli occupation fully responsible for his death.
They added that with the death of detainee Al-Rifai, the number of identified martyred Palestinian political prisoners since the start of the genocide has now risen to 74 people. This number comes amid the continued crime of enforced disappearance, making this period the bloodiest in the history of the prisoners’ movement. Accordingly, the total number of identified martyrs of the prisoners’ movement since 1967 has now risen to 311 people as of today.
The Commission and PPS stress that the increasing number of prisoner killings and deaths has become an inevitable outcome, growing ever more dangerous as thousands of detainees remain imprisoned in Israeli jails and continuously subjected to systematic crimes, most notably: torture, starvation, various forms of assault, medical neglect, sexual violence, and the deliberate imposition of conditions that lead to the contraction of serious and contagious diseases, especially scabies, in addition to unprecedented policies of deprivation and abuse.
The death of detainee Al-Rifai constitutes a new crime added to the record of the Israeli system of brutality, which employs all forms of violence aimed at killing prisoners—a manifestation and extension of the ongoing genocide.
The Commission and the PPS renew their call on the international human rights system to move forward in taking effective decisions to hold Israeli leaders accountable for the war crimes they continue to commit against the Palestinian people. They also called for the imposition of sanctions on Israel to isolate it internationally, and to restore the credibility and core purpose of the human rights system, by ending its paralyzing failure during the genocide and revoking the exceptional impunity granted to Israel, which has placed it above accountability, justice, and punishment.
- Details
- Category: News
- Hits: 254
Prisoners' Defense Groups: Sanctions on UN Special Rapporteur Albanese a Threat to International Human Rights System
Ramallah, occupied Palestine – Palestinian prisoners' defense and advocacy organizations condemn the sanctions imposed by the United States on the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories, Francesca Albanese, considering them an illegal step that violate international law and fundamental human rights principles.
The organizations emphasize that these sanctions represent a clear threat to the pillars of the international human rights system and constitute a dangerous attempt to undermine its essential role in protecting human rights and holding violators accountable.
They added in their statement that UN Special Rapporteur Albanese is engaged in a courageous human rights struggle and has demonstrated a professional and ethical commitment to exposing the violations and crimes committed by the occupation, and the involvement of several international powers in supporting these crimes, amid the ongoing genocide against our people in Gaza and the comprehensive aggression against the occupied Palestinian territories as a whole.
The organizations emphasize that the sanctions imposed on Albanese clearly reflect the United States' support for the occupation and its assistance to it in its aggression against Gaza, thus consolidating its role as a direct opponent of human justice.
The prisoners' organizations affirm their full support for the UN rapporteur, who has been a true voice and support for the Palestinians amidst the deliberate international impotence that has enabled the occupying "state" to continue committing its crimes for decades.
The organizations call on the international community, including its bodies and institutions, to take immediate and serious action to lift the sanctions imposed on Albanese and to take decisive steps to protect the international humanitarian system from attempts to undermine its role and credibility.
- Details
- Category: News
- Hits: 272
? Issued by Detainees’ Organizations
? The number of Palestinian detainees in Israeli occupation prisons has risen to nearly 10,800
? This figure does not include those detained in military camps subordinated to the Israeli occupation army.
● An update on the total number detainees held in Israeli occupation prisons as of the beginning of July 2025.
● The total number of Palestinian detainees in Israeli occupation prisons has reached nearly 10,800.
This figure does not include those held in military camps subordinate to the Israeli army, representing the highest recorded since the Second Intifada in 2000, based on detainees organizations’ documentation.
● Female Detainees : (50) women are currently held in detention, including two from Gaza.
● Child detainees: As of today, the number exceeds (450) children.
● Administrative detainees: As of the beginning of July, their number reached (3,629), representing the highest percentage compared to the number of sentenced detainees , pre-trial detainees, and those classified as "illegal combatants."
● Detainees classified as "illegal combatants": The number has reached (2,454) individuals. This figure does not include all Gaza detainees held in military camps operated by the Israeli army. It is the highest number since the beginning of the genocide war. This classification also includes Arab detainees from Lebanon and Syria.
- Details
- Category: News
- Hits: 1367
Issued by Detainees’ Organizations
*Comprehensive Update on the Number of Palestinian Detainees in Israeli Occupation Prisons – As of Early June 2025
● The number of Palestinian detainees in Israeli occupation prisons has surpassed 10.400, a figure that excludes those held in Israeli military camps, indicating that the actual number is likely even higher.
● Female Detainees : As of June 4, 2025, there are 49 Palestinian women imprisoned, including 8 held under administrative detention without charge or trial.
● Children: Over 440 Palestinian children remain in Israeli prisons.
● Administrative Detainees: The number of Palestinians held under administrative detention, without any formal charges, has reached 3,562.
● Gaza Detainees Classified as “Unlawful Combatants”: There are 2,214 detainees from Gaza classified under this label, a number that does not include all those detained in Israeli military camps, meaning the actual figure is likely significantly higher.
- Details
- Category: News
- Hits: 388
June 1, 2025
Detainees of the Captive Movement
Today marks the 604th day of the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip, a war that has become one of the most brutal genocides in modern history. Nearly two million Palestinians in Gaza remain trapped under relentless bombardment, starvation, siege, and the looming threat of forced displacement. With no protection and no weapons, they stand alone against a ruthless occupying power, while the world watches in disgraceful silence. To date, this war has left behind almost 55,000 martyrs, over 130,000 injured, and more than two million forcibly displaced, and the bloodshed continues without pause.
Inside the prisons of the Israeli occupation, over 10,000 Palestinians are currently detained, including 45 women, more than 400 children, and approximately 3,577 administrative detainees held without charge or trial. Among them are at least 1,846 detainees from Gaza, classified under the unjust and illegal label of “unlawful combatants”, a designation created by Israeli law to justify indefinite detention of civilians without due process, without evidence, and without fair trial, based on so-called "secret files" withheld even from legal counsel. The exact number of Gaza’s detainees remains unknown due to Israel’s systematic practice of enforced disappearance.
This report exposes a grave and escalating crisis: the growing number of martyrs within the Palestinian Captive Movement, particularly since October 7, 2023. While the suffering of Palestinian detainees has been ongoing for decades, through torture, humiliation, and medical neglect, the post-October 7 period has seen an unprecedented surge in violence, cruelty, and death. Since the start of this war, 70 Palestinian detainees have been killed in Israeli custody, bringing the total number of detainees martyrs to 307. Since1967 to just before October 2023, the number of martyrs from the Captive Movement was 237, averaging four per year. In contrast, the past two years have seen a tenfold annual increase.
These martyrs have died under torture, starvation, sexual abuse, and deliberate medical neglect. Many were exposed to horrific conditions designed to weaken and slowly kill, including filthy, overcrowded cells that became breeding grounds for infectious diseases, such as scabies, and other chronic, untreated illnesses.
The findings in this report are based on verified information and official correspondence with Israeli authorities, who have repeatedly attempted to manipulate the truth by providing contradictory, misleading, and false data. They continue to withhold the bodies of martyrs and hide the circumstances of their deaths in an effort to erase evidence of their crimes.
Martyrs of the Captive Movement since 1967:
The number of martyrs from the Captive Movement has reached 307 as of the writing of this report, including 70 martyrs who died after the genocide war (October 7, 2023), representing 23% of the total number of martyrs in the Captive Movement.
This report will highlight the 70 detainee martyrs who died after October 7, 2023, as it is the most brutal period in the history of the captive movement, in order to shed light on the crimes committed by the occupation against our detainees, as outlined below.
Relative distribution of martyrs by region (after the October 7 war):
The chart above shows that the majority of martyrs, 44 in total, accounting for 63%, are from the Gaza Strip. The West Bank follows with 24 martyrs, representing 34% of the total (including one from Jerusalem). Meanwhile, 2 martyrs, 3%, are from the occupied territories within the 1948 borders.
Relative distribution of martyrs by the date of martyrdom (after the October 7 war):
As shown in the chart above, detainees' organizations reported the deaths of 5 detainees in 2023, accounting for 7% of the total. In 2024, the number rose sharply to 49, making up 70%, marking it as the deadliest year in the history of the captive movement. In the current year, up to the date of this report, 16 detainees have been declared martyred, representing 23%.
Note: The date of announcement does not necessarily coincide with the actual date of death. These announcements are typically based on official responses from Israeli occupation authorities, who are known to routinely obscure facts in an attempt to cover up their crimes.
Relative distribution of martyrs by age (after the October 7 war)
Based on the chart above and available data for 66 out of the 70 martyrs after October 7, the age distribution is as follows:
- Minors (ages 15–18): 3 martyrs, making up 4%.
- Young adults (ages 19–39): 28 martyrs, comprising the largest group at 39%.
- Adults (ages 40–59): 24 martyrs, accounting for 34%.
- Elderly (60 years and older): 11 martyrs, representing 23%.
This distribution underscores the severity of the occupation’s crimes against detainees, particularly minors and the elderly, who together represent around 27% of the total. This notably high percentage serves as a troubling indicator of the brutality directed toward the most physically vulnerable age groups inside prisons.
Relative distribution of the martyrs based on the duration between arrest and martyrdom (after the October 7 war):
Among the 47 documented cases out of 70 martyrs following October 7, the chart above reveals that 36% (17 detainees) died within the first 60 days of their arrest. This strongly suggests that they were subjected to severe torture, inhumane treatment, and systematic abuse during interrogation, ultimately leading to their deaths.
Additionally, 30% (14 detainees) lost their lives between two months and one year after being detained. The remaining 34% (16 detainees) were martyred after spending over a year in captivity. These figures reflect the prolonged and escalating brutality faced by Palestinian detainees in Israeli prisons.
Relative distribution of the martyrs by place of detention (after the October 7 war)
According to data available data on 39 out of the 70 martyrs who died after October 7, the most lethal detention centers were Ramla, Ofer, and Negev prisons, which alone were responsible for over half of the recorded deaths—21 martyrs, or 54%, with each facility accounting for 7 deaths (18%). This alarming concentration of deaths in specific prisons serves as a stark warning and a call to action for international human rights organizations to confront their obligations and hold the occupying authorities accountable.
Following these, Megiddo Prison recorded 5 deaths (13%), while Ramon, Sdeh Teiman, and Ashkelon prisons each witnessed 3 deaths (8%). The remaining deaths occurred across various other prisons, each contributing 1 martyr (3%). These figures expose a deeply rooted and systematic pattern of abuse and negligence within Israel’s prison system, demanding urgent international scrutiny and intervention.
Additional information:
- Of the 70 detainee martyrs who died after October 7, 2023, 17 were already suffering from injuries, chronic illnesses, or disabilities at the time of their arrest, accounting for 24% of the total. Among them were three cancer patients and one with kidney disease. These figures point to a deliberate policy of medical neglect, aimed at slow execution through systematic denial of treatment, an egregious violation of international humanitarian law.
- Included in the list of martyrs are four medical personnel, all from Gaza. This group comprises three physicians—Dr. Adnan Ahmad Atiya Al-Barsh, Dr. Iyad Ahmad Mohammad Al-Rantisi, and Dr. Ziyad Mohammad Saleh Al-Dalu—as well as a paramedic officer, Hamdan Hassan Anabah. All four were tortured to death, underscoring the brutal targeting of healthcare professionals by the occupying forces.
- Furthermore, 8 out of the 70 martyrs were held under administrative detention, imprisoned without formal charges or trial, making up 11% of the total. Their deaths highlight the deadly consequences of this unlawful and arbitrary detention policy.
- As of this report, the Israeli occupation continues to withhold the bodies of 79 martyred prisoners, including 68 of the 70 who died after October 7. This ongoing practice of body retention represents not only a violation of human dignity but also a cruel tactic of psychological warfare against the victims’ families.
We reaffirm that the findings in this report are derived from the limited information publicly available and from official statements issued by the occupation’s authorities. What remains concealed is likely far more horrific. This report does not imply that one prison is more brutal than another; rather, it exposes a cohesive system of repression—a single apparatus of violence governed by a unified policy of systematic abuse. The crime is the occupation itself.
The results presented here stand as a damning indictment of the international human rights and humanitarian community, which has failed miserably in its moral and legal obligations toward Palestinian prisoners. Since the launch of the genocidal war on October 7, 2023, not a single meaningful visit has been conducted to any Israeli prison, nor has the occupation been held accountable for its escalating crimes. International conventions that recognize prisoners of liberation movements have been willfully ignored.
In light of this utter inaction, we cannot help but question the credibility, independence, and integrity of these institutions. Their silence, neglect, and passivity raise serious concerns about their complicity—and their submission to the will of the occupying regime.
(End of Report)
- Details
- Category: News
- Hits: 324
Systematic Starvation and Beating Against Detainees in Megiddo Prison
The Commission of Detainees’ Affairs revealed in its latest report issued Sunday, June 1, 2025, that detainees in Israel’s Megiddo Prison, particularly minors, are enduring harsh and inhumane conditions marked by deliberate starvation and repeated physical assaults carried out by prison authorities.
The prison houses nine sections, each containing around 72 detainees.
According to the Commission's attorney, 24-year-old Fadi Ibrahim Shami, from the city of Nablus, who has been held since May 11, 2023 and is scheduled for a court hearing on June 22, 2025, has lost 22 kilograms due to the policy of enforced hunger practiced systematically across Israeli prisons.
In a separate case, 15-year-old minor detainee Qais Nasser Mohammad Deen Shehadeh was subjected to repeated beatings, first during his detention at the Etzion facility, and again during his transfer to Megiddo. He was violently arrested from his home on April 20, 2025.
Similarly, 17-year-old Hamzeh Omar Muhaysin, from Al-Arroub Refugee Camp, was arrested from his home on the same date. He is currently being held in Section 5, Room 11 of the prison, where he also faced multiple instances of physical abuse during his arrest.
The Commission’s lawyer further noted that the prison administration frequently shortens the detainees' daily outdoor time, which is legally mandated to be at least one hour. Meanwhile, outbreaks of scabies are spreading rapidly inside the prison due to severe neglect, unsanitary conditions, and lack of proper ventilation. Even medical treatment has proven ineffective. Food rations are dangerously scarce, barely enough to sustain basic survival.
- Details
- Category: News
- Hits: 283
Detainee Sirin Saeedi endures brutal detention conditions in Damon prison
The Commission of Detainees’ Affairs reported today that 56-year-old Sirin Mohammad As’ad Saeedi, from the village of Beit Lid near Tulkarm, is currently held under appalling conditions in Damon Prison. Despite suffering from a pituitary gland disorder and severe allergies, Saeedi remains in detention without adequate medical care, relying on essential medications to manage her health.
According to the Commission’s legal representative, Saeedi was subjected to repeated strip searches following her arrest, a clear violation of her dignity and rights. Her detention conditions are described as degrading and inhumane, particularly as she was arrested during the harsh winter months and has been repeatedly subjected to verbal abuse and humiliation by prison guards.
Saeedi has also raised serious concerns about sudden and aggressive nighttime raids carried out by guards on her cell, further exacerbating the psychological pressure she faces.
She is denied even the most basic necessities. Prison authorities have confiscated her clothing and shoes, leaving her in dire need of proper clothing, personal hygiene items, and sanitary supplies. During a recent lawyer visit, she revealed that women detainees are forced to remain dressed in prayer garments at all times due to the constant threat of sudden cell inspections.
Currently, 35 Palestinian women are held in Damon Prison, all suffering under similarly harsh and degrading conditions. They are provided with insufficient and poor-quality food, and are only allowed to shower during the short recess period at 7:00 a.m.
- Details
- Category: News
- Hits: 349
Palestinian Minors in Megiddo Prison Facing Hunger, Illness, and Abuse
The Commission of Detainees’ Affairs has issued a stark warning regarding the inhumane conditions endured by child detainees in the Israel’s Megiddo Prison.
According to the Commission’s latest report, these minors are subjected to ongoing collective punishment, harsh living conditions, and gross medical neglect. Daily life is marked by poor-quality food, inadequate portions, and the total absence of basic hygiene products.
One of the detainees, Jihad Maher Hijaz (15 years old) from Al-Mazra’a Al-Sharqiya/ Ramallah, shared his recent experience. He described how, about a month ago, he was violently assaulted by a prison guard who struck him in the chest, leaving him with severe pain and a fractured rib.
“It felt like the bone was pushed out of place from the force of the beating. I never received any medical care, and to this day I don’t know if it has healed.”
Hijaz has been in custody since February 15, 2025, without sentencing, and is awaiting a court hearing on July 7, 2025.
Another detainee, Aws Mohammad Theeb, 19, from the town of Silwad, has reportedly lost more than 30 kilograms due to severe food deprivation. He is also suffering from scabies, yet remains untreated. Theeb was detained on September 30, 2024, and is scheduled to appear in court on June 4, 2025.
Further testimony came from Ali Tareq Abdullah Thiab, 18, from Kafr Aqab, who has been imprisoned since May 5, 2024, under administrative detention, which has been renewed three times without formal charges. He described widespread hunger among detainees:
“Food is scarce and never enough. We’ve all lost significant weight. Most days we fast just to save our three small meals and eat them together in hopes of feeling even slightly full. We're not living, we're surviving.”
The Commission is calling for immediate international intervention to end the suffering of these minors and to hold the Israeli prison authorities accountable for systematic violations of children’s rights under international law.
- Details
- Category: News
- Hits: 307
Commission of Detainees’ Affairs
Since 1967, the number of martyrs from the Palestinian Captive Movement has risen to 307, including 44 from the Gaza Strip whose identities and details are documented.
The Commission strongly warns of the escalating and unprecedented danger facing thousands of Palestinian detainees in Israeli occupation prisons. The continuous rise in the number of martyrs reflects the brutal and systematic crimes committed against them, crimes that persist every hour of every day, under conditions that blatantly violate international humanitarian law.
#War_on_Gaza
#Martyrs_of_the_Captive_Movement
- Details
- Category: News
- Hits: 316
Three detainees suffer from critical health condition at Gilboa Prison
May 26, 2025
The Commission of Detainees’ Affairs reported today, Monday, that three Palestinian detainees held in Gilboa Prison are suffering from serious and worsening health conditions, as revealed during a recent lawyer’s visit. The report highlights the following cases:
Munir Salameh, 25, from Jenin refugee camp, has been held without sentencing and is currently suffering from a severe case of scabies that has persisted for approximately four months. His body is covered in painful boils, and despite the seriousness of his condition, he has not received the necessary medical treatment.
Samer Qumbo’a, 30, from Jenin, is also detained without trial and suffers from chronic pain in his left ear, his neck and down to his left hand, sometimes causing a complete loss of sensation. He had been using a medical arm brace, but a day before the lawyer’s visit, a special unit stormed his cell, physically assaulted him, and confiscated the brace.
Qumbo’a is also enduring severe dental pain, further exacerbating his suffering.
Ibrahim Ramadi, 32, from Sheikh Jarrah in Jerusalem, has been battling scabies for nearly two months. His condition has significantly deteriorated, with visible boils on his knees and eczema on his hands, due to unhygienic conditions. Detainees are unable to wash their clothes regularly as access to the laundry is restricted during short recreation periods, and the prison washing machine has been out of service. Ramadi also suffers from a congenital heart condition involving fluid around the heart and requires specific medication, which the prison administration has failed to provide. Additionally, he experiences frequent migraines and severe tendon pain in his left hand.
- Details
- Category: News
- Hits: 311
Commission of Detainees Affairs: Systematic medical negligence towards sick detainees in Negev Prison
May 25, 2025
The Commission of Detainees’ Affairs stated in its Sunday report that its legal team has visited a number of sick detainees held in Negev Prison, to assess their health and detention conditions. The detainees are enduring extremely harsh and deteriorating circumstances, particularly since the start of the genocidal war on the Gaza Strip on October 7, 2023.
During the visit, the lawyer met with detainee Ahmad Abu Mtawa’, 27, from the town of Tubas, who has been suffering from scabies for over a year. Despite the seriousness of his condition, he only received treatment two months ago, which failed to bring any improvement. His health has worsened further, with painful boils spreading across his body. He also suffers from general weakness, inability to walk, and impaired vision. A month ago, he fell in the bathroom and broke his nose. Moreover, he has lost nearly 30 kilograms due to malnutrition. Abu Mtawa’ has been imprisoned since July 2, 2002, and is serving a 27-year sentence.
Another case is Saleh Hamed, 41, from Silwad/Ramallah, who suffers from herniated spinal discs and severe back pain. He had also contracted scabies but has recently recovered.
The lawyer also visited Bassam Salameh from Nablus, detained since July 11, 2024, who has been struggling with an acute scabies infection and a widespread outbreak of boils since September 20, 2024. Two days before the lawyer’s visit, prison authorities provided him with minimal treatment, a single pill and two ointments. Although his condition has slightly improved, he remains far from recovery and has lost around 20 kilograms due to insufficient nutrition.
Detainee Ghassan Sheikh Qassem, 26, also from Nablus, is suffering from severe pain in his wisdom tooth. Despite repeated requests to be seen by the prison clinic or provided with pain relief, the prison administration has ignored his appeals.
Lastly, detainee Firas Dar Al-Hajj, from Aida Refugee Camp in Bethlehem, is battling a severe case of scabies that causes intense itching and boils on his legs. His case is further complicated by the fact that he is a kidney donor, making proper treatment all the more critical. He too has lost nearly 20 kilograms due to poor medical care and malnutrition.
- Details
- Category: News
- Hits: 305
Scabies has been spreading for several months across multiple prisons. The prison administration has weaponized the disease, turning it into a method of abuse and collective punishment. This has been done through the deliberate denial of medical treatment and the failure to implement basic preventative measures to prevent its outbreak.
- Details
- Category: News
- Hits: 263
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?
- Details
- Category: News
- Hits: 271
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.
- Details
- Category: News
- Hits: 278
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.
- Details
- Category: News
- Hits: 259
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.
- Details
- Category: News
- Hits: 240
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.
- Details
- Category: News
- Hits: 222
The administration of Damoun prison targets elderly women detainees
- Details
- Category: News
- Hits: 218
Jailers in Damoun Prison intends to provoke female detainees
- Details
- Category: News
- Hits: 190
- 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.