Report Sates Repeated Raids, Abuse in Palestinian Women’s Prison Section

(MENAFN) A Palestinian advocacy group has said that Israeli prison forces conducted multiple raids on a section holding Palestinian women detainees in Damon Prison over a two-month period, citing accounts from recently released prisoners.

The Palestinian Prisoners Society said on Sunday that at least 10 raids were carried out during March and April. According to its statement, the operations involved physical violence, including beatings, forcing detainees to lie on the ground, and restraining them with handcuffs behind their backs.

The group, citing testimonies from former detainees, said both male and female prison guards “deliberately assaulted the prisoners,” leaving several women with visible bruises.

It also stated that most of the estimated 88 Palestinian women prisoners are currently held at Damon Prison, while others are kept in interrogation or other detention facilities. Among those detained, it said, are two minors and three pregnant women in the early stages of pregnancy who were recently arrested on charges described by Israeli authorities as “incitement.”

The statement further alleged a rise in the use of solitary confinement against female prisoners since the outbreak of the Gaza war in October 2023, claiming that at least six women have been placed in isolation for periods exceeding two weeks in some cases.

It also described worsening conditions inside detention cells, citing severe overcrowding where more than 10 women may be held together, leaving some to sleep on the floor due to lack of space.

The group additionally claimed that detainees have reported repeated restrictions on food access, which it described as “starvation policies,” particularly during holiday periods. One former prisoner reportedly lost around 30 kilograms (66 pounds) during her detention.

It also said invasive searches have become more frequent, especially during transfers between facilities such as Hasharon Prison and Damon Prison, describing these procedures as “humiliating and degrading” based on detainee testimonies.

The allegations highlight ongoing concerns raised by Palestinian rights organizations regarding conditions faced by female prisoners in Israeli detention facilities, particularly in the context of increased arrests since late 2023.

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