DaysofPal- The Commission of Prisoners’ Affairs and the Palestinian Prisoners’ Club have released shocking new testimonies detailing the systematic torture, abuse, and degrading treatment endured by detainees from Gaza held in Israeli Sde Teiman camp, Negev prison, and other detention facilities.
These accounts paint a grim picture of organized crimes committed against prisoners, highlighting the brutal conditions they face daily.
Systematic Torture and Humiliation
According to the briefing, Sde Teiman camp and Negev prison stand out as sites where some of the most egregious forms of brutality are practiced against Gaza detainees.
Testimonies reveal a pattern of inhumane policies, including physical torture, psychological torment, and deliberate deprivation of basic human rights.
One detainee, identified as J.W., recounted his harrowing experience: “I still suffer from scabies and boils on my body.
I was also subjected to severe beatings during my repeated transfers, and as a result, I have a broken tooth, which causes me severe and continuous pain. My left ear no longer functions properly after they poured water into it in a harmful way.”
He added that detainees receive minimal food rations, often collecting scraps throughout the day for their evening meal, while being subjected to humiliating measures such as forced kneeling during security checks.
Another prisoner, K.Y., described life in Sde Teiman: “We are repeatedly subjected to repression, sound bombs, and tear gas inside the barracks… When transporting us for interrogation or an interview, the prison guards deliberately shout at us and beat us continuously, sometimes injuring us intentionally.”
With 50-55 prisoners crammed into each barracks, detainees are forced to endure overcrowding, inadequate hygiene, and constant surveillance by soldiers who treat them with hostility.
Isolation and Emotional Distress
Many detainees expressed anguish over their inability to communicate with loved ones due to restrictions on visits and correspondence.
One prisoner, M.Y., believed his daughter had been killed during the war until he discovered she was alive during a rare visit.
Recalling his arrest, he said, “They arrested approximately 40 men, stripped them completely naked, and dressed them in white.
Throughout this period, we were repeatedly subjected to severe beatings with sticks… I suffered from a nosebleed for a long time without receiving any treatment.”
M.Y. further detailed his ordeal: “For 14 days, I remained blindfolded and handcuffed, enduring a 12-hour ‘disco interrogation’ where loud music played nonstop in a closed room.
After exhausting me with noise, they pressured me to cooperate with them, but I refused. They then took all of my family’s information.”
Transformation of Daily Life Into Torture
Testimonies highlight how even routine activities like outdoor retreats are used as tools of punishment. D.A., another detainee, explained: “The administration transformed the ‘retreat’—going out to the campyard—into a tool for torture and abuse.
During this time, we were prohibited from speaking to each other or raising our heads. Constant insults filled the air, and anyone who disobeyed orders faced immediate retaliation.”
N.W.’s account underscores the severity of the abuse: “At the beginning of my detention, I was handcuffed and blindfolded, forced to sit on my knees for extended periods.
After 21 days, I was transferred to Sde Teiman, where I was severely beaten in the chest area, causing difficulty breathing. We were electrocuted and hit with weapons.”
A.H., another prisoner, recalled the horrors of his arrest: “When I was detained, they separated the women from the men and ordered us to strip completely. While naked, we were beaten severely, cursed, and threatened with death.
They forced us to prostrate on the ground and say, ‘Moses is the Messenger of God.’ For hours, we endured freezing temperatures, bound and blindfolded, before being transferred to Sde Teiman and later Berkes, where we stayed bound and blindfolded for 20 days.”
Warnings of Increasing Mortality Rates
The Commission of Prisoners’ Affairs and the Palestinian Prisoners’ Club warn that prolonged exposure to these conditions will inevitably lead to more deaths in custody. In recent weeks, four detainees have died in prison, adding to the growing list of martyrs from Gaza since the onset of the war.
“These testimonies expose the true nature of the Israeli occupation’s detention system—a regime built on systematic oppression and dehumanization,” stated a representative from the Commission. “If international bodies fail to intervene, the cycle of suffering and loss of life will continue unchecked.”
As calls for accountability grow louder, the plight of Gaza’s detainees serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need for global action to address the ongoing humanitarian crisis and hold perpetrators accountable for their crimes.
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