DaysofPal- Former Palestinian detainee Jibril Al-Safadi recounts his terrifying ordeal inside Israeli prisons, which did not end with his release but continued with the death of his son during the conflict in the Gaza Strip. Al-Safadi has an amputated leg and an exhausted body. His testimony stands among the most painful accounts shared during the commemoration of Palestinian Prisoners’ Day.
Al-Safadi traces the beginning of his suffering to early March 2024, when Israeli occupation forces surrounded Hamad Residential City in Khan Younis, forcing residents to flee toward military checkpoints.
While attempting to leave with his family, he was separated from his wife and children and arrested at one of the checkpoints, marking the start of a detention that lasted more than a year.
Human Shield and Medical Neglect
In testimony reported by Anadolu Agency, Al-Safadi said Israeli forces used him as a human shield, forcing him to walk ahead of soldiers during building raids, exposing him to gunfire and explosions. “They pushed me forward without any regard for my life,” he said.
He was later transferred between detention centers, where he endured beatings and abuse during transport. He described being bound with metal restraints that caused injuries to his limbs. His health deteriorated, particularly due to a severe infection in his leg, yet he said he was repeatedly denied medical treatment.
“I was screaming from the pain and asking for treatment, but no one responded,” he said. His condition worsened until his right leg was amputated in a field hospital. He was then returned to prison, while his other leg also sustained serious damage.
Trauma After Release
During interrogation, Al-Safadi said he faced harsh methods, including prolonged restraint, beatings, and threats. “I was tied to an iron chair for hours. If they did not like my answers, the beating would begin,” he said.
He also described abuses against other detainees, including physical violations and degrading treatment, stating that some prisoners died under torture in custody.
After his release, Al-Safadi received what he described as the most devastating news: his son had been killed during the war while trying to secure food for the family in conditions of severe hunger.
“I lost my son just as I lost my leg,” he said, reflecting the scale of loss that followed him both inside and outside prison.
Worsening Humanitarian Conditions
His testimony comes during a deepening humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where blockade measures and closed crossings have contributed to widespread famine. On August 22, 2025, international bodies confirmed that famine had reached northern Gaza, with expectations of further spread.
At the same time, the issue of detainees has seen unprecedented escalation. The number of Palestinians held in Israeli prisons has exceeded 9,600, marking an 83 percent increase since October 2023. This includes 86 women and around 350 children.
The number of administrative detainees has reached 3,532, its highest recorded level. Israel has also classified 1,251 detainees as “unlawful combatants,” excluding those held in military camps.
Available data indicates that more than 100 detainees have died since the start of the war, with 89 identities confirmed. Others, particularly detainees from Gaza, remain subject to enforced disappearance.
Palestinians mark Palestinian Prisoners’ Day each year on April 17 under conditions described as the harshest in decades, with growing reports of violations inside prisons and new Israeli legislation that could allow the execution of detainees.
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