“He screamed for hours before dying”: Report reveals deadly torture in Israeli jails

Occupied Palestine (Quds News Network)- A recent report by the Washington Post has unveiled severe torture against Palestinian detainees in Israeli jails, highlighting a disturbing pattern of violence and neglect. The report, based on eyewitness accounts and medical evidence, details the harrowing deaths of several inmates, including one who suffered a ruptured spleen and broken ribs after being beaten by Israeli prison guards.

Physicians for Human Rights Israel (PHRI) documented the deaths of 13 Palestinian prisoners from the West Bank and the 1948-occupied territories since October 7, with an unknown number of fatalities among prisoners from the Gaza Strip. The autopsies, attended by PHRI doctors and shared with the families, corroborate the eyewitness testimonies of brutality and medical negligence.

Former prisoners described routine beatings, often targeting entire cells or sections. They recounted being assaulted with batons and sometimes attacked by dogs. Inmates were frequently denied adequate food and medical care and subjected to both physical and psychological abuse. Tal Steiner, executive director of the Public Committee Against Torture in the occupation state, emphasized the dire conditions, stating, “It’s very overcrowded. Every prisoner that we’ve met with has lost 30 pounds.”

The case of Abdulrahman Bahash, an inmate at Megiddo Prison, exemplifies the extreme violence faced by prisoners. Fellow inmates linked Bahash’s death to a severe beating by guards in December. According to one inmate, who spoke anonymously to avoid reprisals, guards raided cells, handcuffed inmates, and beat them “in a crazy way” with batons and kicks. Bahash, severely bruised and complaining of broken ribs, was given only a simple painkiller when he sought medical help. He died three weeks later, on January 1. A post-mortem revealed multiple rib fractures and a spleen injury, consistent with assault.

Additionally, Abdul Rahman al-Maari, 33, died in Megiddo on November 13. A carpenter and father of four, Maari had been in prison since February 2023, according to his brother Ibrahim, who said he was arrested at a temporary checkpoint and accused of being affiliated with Hamas and possessing a firearm. Relatives lost touch with him after October 7, when family visits were shut down. A report by PHRI doctor Danny Rosin from his autopsy found extensive bruising, broken ribs, and other injuries consistent with severe beatings. Fellow prisoner Khairy Hamad recounted that Maari was kicked down a flight of metal stairs while handcuffed and later moved to isolation, where he screamed in pain for hours before dying at 4 a.m.

The Washington Post’s investigation, which included interviews with 11 former prisoners and half a dozen lawyers, as well as examination of court records and autopsy reports, highlights the pervasive violence and deprivation in Israeli jails. Inmates described losing significant weight due to insufficient food, with each shedding between 30 and 50 pounds.

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