DaysofPal- The Palestinian Commission of Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs has reported a sharp and unprecedented decline in the conditions of prisoners held in Etzion Detention Center, describing the situation as the worst recorded since the start of the war on the Gaza Strip.
The findings follow a field visit by a lawyer representing the commission, who insisted on conducting face-to-face meetings with detainees rather than relying on video calls, which prison authorities have adopted since the war began. The lawyer managed to meet five out of nine detainees, with plans to complete the remaining visits later.
According to shocking testimonies, many detainees said they had been unable to shower for more than a month due to the lack of hot water. Basic necessities such as soap and towels were also unavailable.
The lawyer reported an escalation in punitive measures inside the facility, carried out regularly three times a week. These operations include storming prison rooms with dogs, shouting and verbal abuse, and forcing detainees to kneel for extended periods. Those unable to comply face physical assault.
She also noted that prison authorities have used tear gas in the yard, causing suffocation and fainting among detainees, who are already suffering from extreme fatigue linked to food shortages.
Despite the harsh living conditions, detainees stressed that the burden extends beyond a lack of food. They pointed to a systematic policy of humiliation and degradation directed against them.
At the conclusion of the visit, the commission called for urgent international intervention to improve detention conditions and to pressure Israeli authorities to comply with humanitarian standards in their treatment of prisoners.
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