26 Palestinian Women Held in Israeli Jails: PPS
Occupied Palestine (Quds News Network)- Israeli occupation forces continue to escalate their targeting of Palestinian women through systematic arrests, bringing the total number of women held in Israeli jails to 26.
The Palestinian Prisoner’s Society (PPS) reported on Monday that the number of female prisoners in Israeli jails has increased to 26, following the detention of 14 women in March alone. Among those arrested are three sisters from Hebron.
Most of the detained women are held at Israel’s Damon prison, with reports revealing that among them are a woman who is three months pregnant, a child, several administrative detainees, and two journalists. Additionally, one of the prisoners is from Gaza, and another is battling cancer.
According to the PPS, most detainees are facing charges of “incitement,” a charge commonly used by Israeli occupation authorities to justify administrative detention, which permits imprisonment without trial or charge.
The PPS also reported that since the start of Israel’s assault on Gaza on October 7, 2023, approximately 500 women have been detained, including women from the West Bank, Jerusalem, and Gaza.
The statement highlighted that these arrests are part of a wider pattern of violations, including extrajudicial killings, sexual assault, and other forms of severe mistreatment. According to the PPS, many of the women arrested have endured degrading conditions and significant violations of their rights.
The PPS also emphasized the troubling trend of arresting women as hostages to pressure their family members into surrendering. This practice has notably escalated since the onset of the war on Gaza and has become one of the most significant tactics used by Israeli forces in their operations.
The PPS strongly condemned these actions, calling them part of a broader campaign of violence and repression targeting Palestinian women. It urged for international intervention to hold Israeli authorities accountable and to put an end to the widespread violations being committed against Palestinian detainees, especially women.
Human rights organizations and prisoner advocacy groups have raised alarms about ongoing human rights abuses in Israeli prisons against Palestinians, with reports of mistreatment and abuse that have led to the killing of at least 50 detainees.
