In the two years since the October 7 Hamas attack, Israel has rounded up large numbers of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank. Scores of Palestinians have died in Israeli detention. Multiple sources have documented rampant medical neglect, deprivation, beatings, and torture of Palestinians in Israeli captivity.
On Tuesday, the Palestinian Prisoners Society reported 22-year-old detainee Ahmad Hatem Mohammad Khdeirat was the 78th Palestinian to die in an Israeli prison over the past two years.
“Khdeirat was arrested on May 23, 2024. He was held without trial or charge despite his chronic diabetes and was placed in inhumane conditions in the notorious Naqab Prison for most of his detention,” The PPS statement explained. “In recent months, Khdeirat’s health severely deteriorated after contracting scabies skin disease, which caused intense itching and repeated seizures. He also suffered from severe hunger episodes, dangerously low blood sugar due to his condition, and extreme difficulty moving or meeting his daily needs. His weight dropped to about 40 kilograms.”
Several outlets and agencies have reported severe and ubiquitous abuse in Israeli detention facilities that could amount to torture, including Israeli outlets +972 Magazine and Haaretz. “Detainees and prisoners at Megiddo Prison in northern Israel have reported several cases of harsh violence and abuse carried out by prison wardens,” Haaretz reported. The torture included “guards kicking, punching, hitting their testicles, and humiliating prisoners. Some testified that a prisoner who was beaten died of his injuries.”
According to +972 Magazine, “Israeli soldiers subjected Palestinian detainees to electric shocks, burned their skin with lighters, spat in their mouths, and deprived them of sleep, food, and access to bathrooms until they defecated on themselves.” The outlet continued, “Some testified to having been beaten all over their bodies and having cigarettes extinguished on their necks or backs. Several people are known to have died as a result of being held in these conditions.”
Last month, a human rights group met with detained Palestinian Dr. Husam Abu Safiya, whose health is deteriorating in Israeli captivity. “Since his arrest, Dr. Abu Safiya has lost approximately 25 kilograms. He suffers from serious scabies and heart problems but is not receiving any medical treatment,” PHRI wrote on X. “It became clear during the visit that Dr. Abu Safiya has not been brought before a judge, investigated, or given any information about the reason for his arrest since March.”
Placing the Palestinians in horrific conditions is the explicit policy of National Security Minister Itmar Ben Gvir. He called on Israel to execute Palestinian prisoners to resolve overcrowding issues.
The rising “number of prisoner killings proves once again that the occupation’s prison system is persistently implementing a policy of slow killing.” PPS added, “Not a month goes by without a new martyr being recorded among the prisoners.”
