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Palestinian officials vow response to al-Naqab Prison decision

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies + Al Mayadeen
19 Sep 2023 11:21
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The Palestinian Ministry of Detainees and Ex-Detainees says the decision to deprive prisoners of winter clothes threatens renewed confrontation and escalation.

Palestinian prisoners seen through barbed wires from an Israeli occupation prison, on November 9, 2018 (AFP)

The Palestinian Ministry of Detainees and Ex-Detainees considered that al-Naqab Prison administration’s decision to impose a punishment on the prisoners of Sections 26 and 27 by depriving them of winter clothing for six months is an inhumane decision that affects the essence of the prisoner’s life reality.

In a statement, the Ministry pointed out that the decision would double the suffering of the prisoners as the winter season approaches and the number of prisoners increases and their urgent need for clothes and blankets.

The statement warned that al-Naqab Prison administration’s continued implementation of the instructions and plans of the extremist Israeli Police Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir to harass the prisoners will have serious consequences and threatens renewed confrontation and escalation.

The Ministry affirmed that armed with its unity and determination, as well as the support of the Palestinian people, the Supreme National Committee for the Captive Movement will continue to confront all attempts by the fascist Israeli occupation government to confiscate the rights and achievements of prisoners and restrict their living conditions.

On his part, Hamas official Abdul Hakim Hanini confirmed that the Israeli occupation’s decision to punish the prisoners of al-Naqab prison is "an escalatory racist crime that will not break the will of our prisoners, and it is an act of arrogance that the occupation will pay the price for if it insists on it."

Hanini stressed that the Israeli occupation’s crimes against prisoners make them stronger and more courageous in defending their human rights and lives inside prisons, underlining that they will continue to confront the occupation’s violations by all possible means.

The Hamas official called on the Palestinian people to embrace the prisoners' cause, participate in all activities supporting them, and work at all levels to expose the Israeli occupation’s crimes against them.

Elsewhere, Hanini also called on Palestinians to convey the prisoners’ message to the world and prevent the Israeli occupation from singling them out at all costs.

Commenting on al-Naqab Prison administration’s arbitrary decision, the spokesperson for Muhjat al-Quds Foundation, Mohammad Al-Shaqaqi, said the Israeli occupation prisons administration’s imposition of new penalties against the prisoners held in Sections 26 and 27 is a Zionist crime that requires action at all levels.

Al-Shaqaqi indicated that the prisoners' escalatory steps by shutting down sections and returning meals on Tuesday come in response to the ongoing Zionist crimes against them, adding that the Israeli occupation is responsible for the current tension in al-Naqab Prison following its criminal decisions.

It is noteworthy that Israeli occupation Police Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir announced in early September that new measures would be taken against the prisoners, including reducing visits to the prisoners to once every two months instead of once a month -- a step that the Supreme Emergency Committee deemed as "playing with fire."

However, Israeli media reported that Israeli occupation Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected the decision of Police Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir to further restrict visits to Palestinian prisoners classified as "security prisoners" to once every two months, in an attempt to prevent escalation during the upcoming Jewish holidays.

In response, the Captive Movement made it clear in a press release that "the postponement or freezing of the occupation government's discussion of the decision to curtail family visits to Palestinian prisoners in order to fit the enemy's plans will not be accepted neither by us nor our people."

Palestinian factions and prisoners' associations have previously warned that the occupation's decisions against Palestinian prisoners will explode the situation and will lead the battle of prisons to reach its extremes.