DayofPal- The Palestinian Prisoners Society (PPS) has raised alarm over the outbreak of contagious diseases within the notorious Megiddo Prison, warning of an impending health catastrophe among detainees.
According to the advocacy group, testimonies from prisoners reveal a disturbing surge in cases of scabies and other infectious diseases.
Scabies, caused by microscopic mites burrowing beneath the skin to lay eggs, leads to severe irritation, rashes, and potential complications if left untreated.
PPS further emphasized that the majority of detainees suffer from deteriorating health conditions and are subjected to harsh and inhumane detention circumstances.
The organization accused Israeli prison authorities of deliberately depriving prisoners of essential resources that could mitigate the disease’s spread, including nutritious food, clean clothing, hygiene products, and adequate exposure to light and ventilation.
With the Israeli prison system’s persistent neglect and the worsening conditions, the risk of a full-scale health crisis looms, placing the lives of Palestinian detainees in grave danger.
The group added that the spread of disease encouraged by these conditions will inevitably lead to more deaths.
It highlighted that the conditions place hundreds of child detainees at risk, citing the death of 17-year-old Walid Khaled Abdullah Ahmed at the prison, which the group reported on Monday, without being able to confirm the circumstances of his death.
Ahmed’s death brought the total number of detainees who have died in Israeli custody since October 2023 to 63, according to the PPS.
Palestinians held by Israel say that their treatment is deliberate rather than the result of neglect.
One prisoner quoted by Haaretz said: “When we asked for treatment, they told us that we are terrorists and must die.”
Megiddo Prison has long been known for its brutal treatment of Palestinian detainees.
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