DaysofPal – The Palestinian Prisoners’ Media Office said that Palestinian Prisoner Day, observed annually on April 17, is an important occasion to remind the world of the grave danger facing Palestinian detainees, particularly in light of the unprecedented escalation against them inside Israeli prisons.
In a statement issued on Friday, the office said that prisoners are facing harsh conditions, including physical and psychological torture and deliberate medical neglect, which it described as a policy of slow killing.
It added that these measures are accompanied by daily abuse, solitary confinement and a rise in enforced disappearances, especially among detainees from Gaza, who are being denied contact with their families and information about their fate.
According to the statement, the number of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel at the beginning of April 2026 exceeded 9,600, including 86 women and 350 children.
The office said there are 3,532 administrative detainees held without charge or trial, and 1,251 prisoners classified as “unlawful combatants,” not including all Gaza detainees held in military camps.
The office warned against the dangerous legislation, particularly a proposed law allowing the execution of Palestinian prisoners.
It said such a law would constitute a “blatant violation” of international conventions and would “lay the groundwork for legitimizing killing.”
The statement also rejected policies of cutting prisoners’ salaries, saying these measures directly target detainees’ families and their basic rights.
The office expressed deep concern over the worsening health conditions inside prisons due to continued medical neglect and denial of treatment for sick prisoners.
It said this poses a direct threat to their lives, amid the spread of diseases and a lack of adequate healthcare, in addition to increased use of solitary confinement, restrictions, denial of family visits and communication, and severe shortages of food and basic necessities.
The Prisoners’ Media Office called for urgent and effective national action to prioritize the prisoners’ cause, halt all repressive measures against them, and reinstate cut salaries. It urged an escalation of legal and media efforts to hold Israel accountable and ensure full protection for prisoners.
The office also praised growing solidarity movements in Western countries, saying international activists continue to raise the prisoners’ voices and expose Israeli violations.
It stressed the importance of expanding and strengthening these efforts.
The statement concluded that the prisoners’ issue will remain at the forefront of the Palestinian struggle until all detainees obtain their full freedom.
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