DaysofPal- The Palestinian female prisoners in Israeli jails endure harsh detention conditions and continuous deprivation, where survival itself becomes a measure of dignity.
From invasive body searches to shortages of food and hygiene supplies, their daily suffering is relentless.
Shahd Majid Hassan, 23, a recently released prisoner who spent eight months in Damon Prison, shared her testimony with Sada News Agency, shedding light on the grim reality faced by women behind bars.
A Shocking Arrest
Hassan recounted the moment of her arrest in her Ramallah home: “I was shocked by the way I was detained.
I opened my eyes on the dawn of March 5, 2025, and saw soldiers coming toward me. My sister shouted, ‘Army! Army!’”
She explained that she was allowed to wear her hijab only after the soldiers entered her home.
Arrested under administrative detention without charge, her detention stemmed from her university work, even though she had graduated more than a year earlier and was employed independently.
Life in ‘Living Graves’
Inside Damon Prison, Hassan described life as a “repetitive, suffocating routine” behind high walls and iron doors. Prisoners were confined for 23 hours a day, and punishments could extend confinement to 24 hours without the right to shower.
She described the prison diet as poor and insufficient: mostly legumes, watery soups, occasional boiled eggs or small portions of meat, leading many women to lose significant weight.
“The food was pushed to us on the floor with their feet,” Hassan recalled. “I tried to remain strong, but it was heartbreaking to see elderly mothers forced to eat this way.”
Prisoners’ movements were heavily monitored, and even laughter could result in punishment.
Personal hygiene, particularly during menstruation, was a significant struggle due to insufficient sanitary supplies and limited cleaning products.
Hassan recounted humiliating incidents, including a prison official deciding how many sanitary pads a woman could receive based on her wife’s menstrual cycle—a tactic of control and degradation.
Emotional Strain and Family Separation
Hassan’s account also highlights the emotional toll on prisoners, particularly mothers. She shared the harrowing experience of witnessing a heavily pregnant prisoner in distress and the grief of mothers separated from their children, including one mother whose son had grown and changed entirely during her imprisonment.
After eight months, Hassan’s release on November 4, 2025, brought an emotional reunion with her family.
She described the moment of stepping onto the streets near the Bartaa checkpoint: “I ran to my family and hugged them. I felt like I was flying.”
A Broader Perspective on Female Prisoners’ Plight
Amjad Al-Najar, Director General of the Palestinian Prisoners’ Club in the West Bank, confirmed that 54 female prisoners are currently held in Damon, including 12 under administrative detention and one from Gaza.
Al-Najar highlighted systemic abuses such as invasive body searches, regular cell raids, lack of medical care, and the absence of a female doctor, which compound the prisoners’ physical and psychological suffering.
Mothers face additional hardships due to separation from their children, and daily punishments for minor infractions underscore the ongoing abuse.
Shahd Hassan’s testimony offers a rare window into the harsh realities endured by Palestinian female prisoners, illustrating the physical, emotional, and psychological toll of life behind Israeli bars.
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