Israeli rights group reports systematic abuse of Palestinians in Israeli jails

A new report released on Monday by the Israeli human rights organization B’Tselem has detailed reports against Israeli prisons, describing instances of torture, sexual abuse, violence, humiliation, starvation, and denial of adequate medical care experienced by Palestinians detained since the beginning of the Gaza war, according to Israeli newspaper Haaretz.

The report suggests that these experiences reflect a systematic and institutional policy of abuse and torture. It asserts that under National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir’s direction, the prisons have effectively become torture camps.

According to the report, at least 60 Palestinian prisoners have died since the war started, including 48 from Gaza who died in army detention facilities and 12 who died in the custody of the Prison Service.

On the other hand, in response to a petition filed with Israel’s High Court by human rights groups calling for the closure of the Sde Teiman detention center due to alleged human rights violations, the Israeli government announced plans to add two new wings for Palestinian detainees at the facility.

The Association for Civil Rights in Israel, which filed the petition, criticized the response, labeling Sde Teiman as a “hell” where human rights are systematically violated and severe crimes are committed.

‘I couldn’t believe it,’ says Sde Teiman doctor

On the other hand, Israel’s N12 channel broadcast footage of the soldiers who raped the Palestinian prisoner and were released after being detained.

Professor Yoel Donchin, a doctor at the Sde Teiman army detention facility, has expressed profound shock after witnessing severe abuse inflicted on a Gazan detainee, by Israeli reservists. Donchin described his disbelief, stating, “I couldn’t believe an Israeli prison guard could do such a thing.”

The abuse reportedly includes severe injuries such as a ruptured bowel, significant anal damage, lung damage, and broken ribs. The detainee was transferred to a hospital for emergency surgery. Donchin suggested that the abuse might be retaliatory, potentially linked to Hamas’ elite unit, Nukhba, known for its actions on Oct. 7.

These allegations come amid ongoing scrutiny of the detention center, with previous reports highlighting severe mistreatment of detainees.

Center of torture for Palestinians

The Sde Teiman detention center in southern Israel, which houses Gazan detainees, has once again come under scrutiny due to serious allegations of torture.

A recent report by The New York Times highlighted that detainees at Sde Teiman were reportedly forced to sit silently with their eyes blindfolded and hands shackled for up to 18 hours a day. The report detailed that Palestinian detainees could be held for up to three months, during which they faced inhumane treatment and torture during interrogations.

Former detainees who were released have recounted their experiences of torture at the center.

The detention facility has faced renewed criticism following recent allegations that nine soldiers were detained for sexually torturing a Palestinian prisoner.