Another Gaza detainee killed under Israeli prisons' abuse policy

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
6 Dec 2024 09:35

The Palestinian prisoner organization's calls for action against the systematic Israeli policy of neglect and abuse have always fallen on deaf ears.

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Israeli soldiers detained blindfolded Palestinian men in a military truck on a road in the Zaytun district of the southern part of the Gaza Strip on November 19, 2023 (AFP via Getty Images)

A Palestinian detainee died in Israeli custody on Thursday, marking the second such death in Israeli prisons within a 24-hour period, according to prisoners' affairs organizations, as reported by Anadolu Agency.

Alaa Marwan Hamza al-Mahlawi, 42, from Gaza, died at Assaf Harofeh Hospital, southwest of Tel Aviv, after being transferred from Naqab prison in southern "Israel" in November, the Commission of Detainees’ Affairs and the Palestinian Prisoners Society said in a joint statement.

His death followed that of Mohammad Walid Hussein Ali, 45, from the West Bank, who died a week after being arrested and moved to the Jalamah interrogation center in northern "Israel".

The statement indicated that al-Mahlawi was detained by "Israel" on December 21, 2023. Before his arrest, he had no chronic illnesses, only a problem in one of his eyes, according to his family.

Both groups reported that al-Mahlawi, a father of four, was arrested on the same day his father was killed in Gaza.

With al-Mahlawi's death, the total number of Palestinian detainees who have died in Israeli prisons since last year rose to 49, including 30 from Gaza, according to Palestinian sources.

This comes shortly after the Commission of Palestinian Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs, the Palestinian Prisoners Society, and Addameer Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association announced the martyrdom of two detainees from Gaza: Mohammad Abdul-Rahman Huwaishal Idris (35 years old) and Muath Khaled Mohammad Rayan (31 years old).

According to a joint statement from these institutions, they were informed of Idris' martyrdom through the Civil Affairs Authority on November 29, 2024, while he was held in Ofer Prison. They later learned of Rayan's death after the Israeli military responded to an inquiry about his fate, confirming he had died on November 2, 2024, although the location of his martyrdom was not disclosed.

The institutions stated that, according to Idris' family, he had no prior health issues before his disappearance on August 25, 2024. Rayan, on the other hand, had been paralyzed before his arrest on October 21, 2024.

The statement also mentioned the earlier martyrdom of a father and son, Munir Abdullah Mahmoud al-Faqawi (42) and his son Yassin Munir al-Faqawi (18), whose deaths were confirmed by the Hamoked organization after receiving a response from the Israeli Supreme Court.

Meanwhile, the Israeli occupation continues to hide the deaths of many Gaza detainees who died in prisons after the war on Gaza began.

The Commission of Palestinian Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs, the Palestinian Prisoners Society, and Addameer condemned the ongoing systematic abuse of detainees by Israeli occupation forces, highlighting the recent revelation of additional martyrs among Gaza detainees.

The institutions stressed that torture, medical neglect, starvation, sexual assault, and other forms of abuse have become entrenched in Israeli prisons, turning the prison system into a tool of oppression and deprivation for Palestinian detainees.

Shackled, starved: A look into the harrowing conditions in Israeli prisons

The Commission of Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs has lately highlighted alarming conditions faced by detainees in Israeli prisons. Recent visitations to the al-Naqab and Megiddo prisons revealed that detainees are brought to visits in handcuffs, with prison authorities refusing to remove the restraints despite legal objections.

This treatment, as per the commission, imposes significant psychological strain and hinders basic tasks, such as signing documents or holding communication devices during visits. Additionally, the detainees show signs of severe weight loss, attributed to long-term malnutrition and punitive measures enforced for over a year, raising serious concerns about their well-being and treatment.

Reports on detainees' dire conditions during visits

The Commission provided an update on detainees' conditions following recent visits to al-Naqab and Megiddo prisons, highlighting alarming health and treatment concerns.

It revealed that Ahmed Salem, aged 42 and a resident of Ramallah, has been held under administrative detention since his arrest on October 10, 2023. Initially sentenced to a six-month term, his detention has been renewed twice. Salem, a former detainee who previously spent 17 years in Israeli prisons, is currently confined in al-Naqab prison.

Majd Zahran, aged 32 and from Beit Duqqu in al-Quds, has been detained since October 13, 2023. His release is scheduled for April 6, 2025, unless his administrative detention is extended. The Commission confirmed that Zahran is currently being held in al-Naqab prison.

In the same context, the Commission expressed grave concerns over Wasim Bani Hassan's deteriorating health. He suffers from hearing loss in his right ear caused by severe beatings from prison guards in May, leading to significant head and ear injuries. Additionally, he is battling scabies. Arrested on December 11, 2023, Bani Hassan is detained in Megiddo prison under a six-month administrative detention term, which has been renewed once.

The commission also noted that Mohammed Arif Freihat, aged 43 and from Jenin, who was detained on August 12, 2024, is currently serving a six-month administrative detention and is being held in Megiddo prison.

The advocacy group reiterated its calls for international intervention, emphasizing the dire conditions and ongoing violations of detainees' rights in Israeli prisons.

The commission emphasized the dire conditions faced by these detainees, including health concerns and the use of administrative detention without formal charges or trials.

It also highlighted that several detainees scheduled for visitation were unexpectedly unavailable. Some had been transferred to other prisons, while others were unable to attend due to the prison administration's claims of cleaning and disinfection activities in certain sections.

It is worth noting that the fate of hundreds of detainees from Gaza remains unknown amid the policy of forced disappearance in camps controlled by the Israeli occupation forces.