After a Year of Genocide: Gaza Detainees Share Gruesome Stories of Torture with Quds News

Gaza (Quds News Network)- Since October 7, 2023, when Israel launched its genocidal war against Palestinians, Israeli prison authorities have escalated their crimes against Palestinian detainees. The war has worsened the conditions for prisoners and their families, with increased violations amid the ongoing escalation, and a significant rise in the number of new detainees, particularly from Gaza.

Deteriorating Conditions: Escalation of Violations Against Prisoners

Since the war’s outbreak in October, the situation for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails has become even more dire. Released detainees report systematic torture, increased psychological and physical pressure, and worsening health conditions. They also highlight reduced food rations and restricted access to basic medical services.

A former detainee, (A.S.), who was released after being arrested during the ground invasion of Al-Shifa Hospital, shared his ordeal: “From the moment the Israeli forces arrested me until my release, I suffered from severe psychological distress. I still don’t feel like a normal person. The beatings and insults were far beyond what I had expected. Physical torture became almost a daily occurrence.”

Speaking to “Quds News,” he added: “One of the methods used by Israeli forces was prolonged solitary confinement in tiny cells without any basic necessities. I lost hope of ever seeing the light again, my eyes were constantly blindfolded, and my hands were shackled.”

He continued: “They subjected us to unimaginable tools and methods of torture—both physical and psychological. The relentless abuse and insults made it feel as though the war was being fought inside the prisons. I remember fainting several times from the severity of it,” noting that the most intense fear came from the complete absence of news or visits from their families. “We knew nothing about our loved ones.”

He also recalled how soldiers used dogs to attack and intimidate prisoners, along with tear gas and pepper spray, which were often deployed into their cells without reason.

Women Prisoners Targeted

A recently released female prisoner, (Umm Ahmed), described the brutal treatment women prisoners faced: “We were summoned for interrogations in the middle of the night, and the psychological pressure was terrifying. Some women were subjected to verbal harassment and threats. The treatment we endured was devoid of any humanity or ethics at the hands of Israeli soldiers and guards.”

Speaking to “Quds Network,” she added: “We were deprived of sleep out of fear of being assaulted during interrogations. We often slept sitting up because, without warning, the guards would invade our privacy in the most degrading ways.”

Elderly Prisoners Endure Brutal Treatment

Another former prisoner, (Z.L.), aged 63, who couldn’t hold back tears while recounting his story, said to “Quds Network” with a voice filled with anguish: “The soldiers brutalized us with no regard for our age or frail condition. They broke our bones and split our heads open until blood flowed from our bodies due to the beatings and abuse.”

He added: “I was transferred to the hospital for treatment after bleeding for a long time without any concern from the soldiers.”

He continued, “Since my capture along with a large group at a checkpoint (Al-Halabat), we’ve spent most of our time either standing or lying on our stomachs. No matter the type of torture, we weren’t even allowed to scream or express our pain. We groaned in silence.”

Families of Prisoners: Witnessing the Pain

The suffering did not end with the prisoners themselves but extended to their families, who witnessed the arrests of their loved ones firsthand. Rawiya, the mother of one prisoner arrested at the start of the war, recounted how she watched her son being taken by force: “They stormed into our house at 3 a.m., broke down the doors, and took my son without allowing us to speak to him. I don’t know where he is or what’s happening to him now.”

Haj Saleem, the father of several prisoners, witnessed the arrest of his four sons during the ground invasion of Khan Yunis: “They stormed into our home after firing several tank shells, took my grandson as a human shield, and arrested my four sons before our eyes, mine, their mother’s, and their wives’. They tortured them, humiliated them with slurs, and in the freezing cold, forced them to strip off all their clothes before ordering us to leave with nothing but shame.”

He added that since that time, he has had no information about his sons.