Voices from behind bars: Gaza detainees endure dire conditions in Ofer

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: News websites
1 Nov 2024 08:49
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Detainees from Gaza held in "Israel's" Ofer Prison near Ramla are facing severe and degrading conditions.

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Israeli soldiers transfer abducted Palestinians out of the Gaza Strip, on November 21, 2023. (AP)

Detainees from Gaza held in "Israel's" Ofer Prison near Ramla are experiencing “degrading and shocking conditions,” according to two Palestinian rights organizations, as reported by Anadolu Agency.

The Commission of Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs and the Palestinian Prisoners Society released a report on Wednesday following recent visits by lawyers to meet with six Gaza detainees.

The report highlighted “tragic conditions and shocking accounts of torture and abuse” witnessed during these visits, including practices that the organizations claim amount to systematic torture.

The rights groups stated that the prison administration continues to “strip detainees of their rights in a manner that constitutes abuse,” describing torture as “a core experience” for Gaza detainees.

Detainees reported being compelled to shout “thank you, Captain (prison head)” in Hebrew, with punishments imposed on those who refused. They also reported denial of medical care and being subjected to degrading sitting positions.

According to the organizations, Palestinian detainees suffer from the cold, particularly at night, due to insufficient warm clothing and blankets.

They noted “a pattern of retribution-driven behavior among guards and soldiers, who appear to be competing over who can treat the detainees most harshly,” along with “enforced disappearances” impacting hundreds of Gaza detainees.

Since the outbreak of the Israeli war on Gaza, thousands of abductees from the enclave, including women, children, the elderly, and medical personnel, are reportedly being held in Israeli prisons.

IOF escalate administrative detention, issuing 9,500+ orders in Oct

The Commission of Detainees Affairs and the Palestinian Prisoners Society issued a joint statement, on Thursday, highlighting a sharp increase in administrative detention orders imposed by the Israeli occupation against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and al-Quds. According to the report, over 9,500 such orders, both new and renewed were issued in October alone.

The report indicated that, as of early October 2024, at least 3,398 Palestinians are currently held under administrative detention, including 30 women and approximately 90 children, among them a 14-year-old boy named Ammar Abdul Kareem. These administrative detainees now constitute about 33% of the total Palestinian prisoner population held by "Israel".

According to the statement, this surge in administrative detention orders correlates directly with intensified Israeli detention campaigns in the West Bank and al-Quds, resulting in more than 11,500 detentions across all segments of society. It further noted that some detainees faced attempted execution, as Israeli forces reportedly opened fire directly on individuals in their homes before detaining them. Cited examples include detainees Saleh Hassouna from Jalazone and Yaqub Al-Hawarin from al-Khalil, who were both seriously injured by gunfire and later placed in administrative detention following hospitalization.

The statement emphasized that this increase in administrative detention is part of a strategy to suppress the social, political, and cultural roles of Palestinian society. Targeted groups include students, journalists, activists, and human rights defenders, with a substantial portion of administrative detainees comprising former prisoners.

Recent practices include returning detainees who have completed their sentences to administrative detention, as well as issuing administrative detention orders for detainees that had been released on bail or under other conditions. The statement criticized Israeli occupation forces' courts for institutionalizing administrative detention, especially under the current government, which it claims has aligned the judicial system with settler interests.

Despite calls to boycott Israeli military courts, the Commission and Prisoners Society continue to support detainee cases to ensure access to legal representation amid difficulties imposed by prison authorities. The report concluded by urging a unified national stance to gradually boycott occupation courts, particularly in cases of administrative detention, given its serious national and strategic implications for the Palestinian prisoner issue.