New reports of abuse suffered by Gaza detainees at the hands of Israeli forces have been revealed during a press conference by the Commission of Detainees Affairs, a Palestinian organization. The press conference in Ramallah shed light on the harsh conditions faced by Palestinians taken from Gaza and held in Israeli custody.
Khaled Mhajne, the commission’s lawyer, shared details from Mohammed Arab, a journalist detained by Israeli forces, including cases of inmates being raped and tortured in front of others. Despite promises to phase out the notorious Sde Teiman detention center, detainees from Gaza are still being sent there.
Mhajne described horrific treatment in Ofer prison, including cases of inmates being tied up and attacked by dogs, as well as beaten for hours with clubs. Arab recounted a harrowing incident of a detainee being raped with a fire extinguisher. The conditions in Israeli detention facilities are alarming, with detainees facing severe abuse and denied proper medical care.
The testimonies reveal a grim reality for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli detention, with widespread abuse perpetrated by various Israeli institutions. The international community must not turn a blind eye to these human rights violations.