Gaza Herald _Palestinian prisoner rights organizations say more than 9,400 Palestinians detained in Israeli prisons are spending Eid al-Adha under worsening conditions marked by torture, medical neglect, starvation, and escalating abuse.
According to the Palestine Center for Prisoners’ Studies, Palestinian prisoners once tried to preserve the spirit of Eid inside prisons despite captivity by decorating their cells, preparing simple sweets, and wearing whatever clean clothes they had available in an effort to maintain hope and morale.
However, the organization said that since the beginning of Israel’s assault on Gaza in October 2023, holidays and religious occasions have increasingly turned into periods of intensified punishment and repression inside Israeli prisons.
The center stated that prisoners are now experiencing their sixth major holiday under what it described as systematic Israeli policies aimed at physically and psychologically breaking detainees.
Prisoners Denied Visits and Basic Necessities
Rights groups said Palestinian prisoners and detainees are marking Eid this year while continuing to be denied family visits for nearly three years, describing those visits as one of the few remaining emotional lifelines for prisoners.
The suspension of visits has reportedly created severe shortages of clothes, blankets, hygiene supplies, and food because families previously brought many of these necessities during prison visits.
The organization added that prison canteens remain heavily restricted or closed, worsening the humanitarian conditions faced by detainees.
According to the center, Israeli prison authorities continue carrying out violent raids and punitive operations against prisoners, including severe beatings, prolonged shackling, forced humiliation, tear gas attacks, and denial of treatment for injured detainees.
Prisoners have also reportedly had mattresses and blankets confiscated for extended periods, leaving many forced to endure harsh conditions for hours each day.
Escalating Abuse Against Women Prisoners
The report said Palestinian women prisoners are also facing growing abuse, including physical violence, humiliation, solitary confinement, and repeated repression campaigns inside detention facilities.
Female detainees are reportedly enduring overcrowded conditions, food deprivation, and continued isolation from their families.
The organization accused Israeli authorities of deliberately using starvation and medical neglect as tools to weaken prisoners physically and mentally, warning that the lack of healthcare is causing many illnesses to worsen dramatically.
Disease and Medical Neglect Spreading in Prisons
The center also warned about the rapid spread of scabies and skin diseases throughout Israeli prisons, saying thousands of Palestinian prisoners are believed to be infected.
According to the organization, nearly a quarter of all Palestinian detainees may now be suffering from the disease, with some prisoners remaining untreated for months despite severe symptoms that include ulcers, inflammation, boils, and painful infections.
Rights groups renewed calls for international organizations and humanitarian institutions to urgently intervene to protect Palestinian prisoners and pressure Israel to stop ongoing abuses and violations inside detention facilities.
Latest Palestinian figures indicate that Israel currently holds more than 9,400 Palestinian prisoners, including 86 women detainees and 3,376 Palestinians held under administrative detention without formal charges or trial.
Israeli authorities are also detaining 1,283 Palestinians under the classification of “unlawful combatants,” a designation Palestinian rights groups say is used to legitimize arbitrary imprisonment and enforced disappearance policies against Palestinians.
