Trigger Warning: This article contains detailed accounts of torture, sexual abuse, and violence that may be distressing to some readers.

The systematic abuse of Palestinian detainees in Israeli prisons is a long-standing issue; however, since the escalation of the Israeli genocide in Gaza, these atrocities have reached unprecedented, horrifying levels. This is not the first instance in which disturbing testimonies from those held in Israeli detention facilities have emerged, yet the torture faced by Palestinian detainees has only intensified.

The recent publication of testimonies by two detainees, Mohammed Arab and Tariq Abed, published by The New Arab, provides critical insight into the brutalities of the Israeli prison system. These accounts, documented by lawyers after a visit to ‘Ofer’ Prison on July 14, 2024, offer a detailed view of the horrific conditions endured by Palestinians.

According to the testimonies of Mohammed Arab and Tariq Abed, who were abducted from Gaza approximately eight months ago, they, along with other Palestinian detainees, endured extensive physical and psychological abuse at the hands of Israeli occupation forces. The testimonies reveal harrowing accounts of severe torture, humiliation, starvation, and deprivation.

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Lawyers who met with the detainees in July documented accounts of physical abuse, sexual assault, and psychological torment perpetrated by their captors. These acts of cruelty were not isolated incidents but part of a broader, coordinated campaign of repression aimed at breaking the spirit of the Palestinian people.

Testimony from Mohammed Arab

In a second poignant meeting with his lawyer, Mohammed Arab, a Palestinian detainee held by Israeli forces, shared a chilling account of the continued abuse he and fellow detainees endure in Israeli detention facilities. His words painted a deeply disturbing picture of the brutal and inhumane treatment detainees face on a daily basis, marked by constant violence, torture, and death.

Mohammed entered the interrogation room blindfolded, with his hands and feet bound, although he appeared notably cleaner than during his first visit in June. This time, his captors seemed to have taken care to present him in a more “acceptable” state for his meeting with the lawyer. The lawyer began by providing some comfort, informing Mohammed that his children were safe and awaiting his return. Mohammed’s response was both heart-wrenching and grateful: “Is my family still alive? Thank God for their safety.” However, his relief was brief as he immediately recounted the grueling interrogations and beatings that followed the lawyer’s last visit.

“After your visit, three soldiers took me for further interrogation,” Mohammed explained. “They kept questioning me about the details I had shared with you. They threatened me with more severe torture and beatings if I disclosed any information about our conversations. They said they would kill me because of the leaks about ‘Sde Timan’ prison that aired on Al Arabiya TV. The world was outraged by the conditions we live in, which is why I was transferred.”

When asked about his current location, Mohammed was unaware that he had been moved to Ofer Military Prison, near Ramallah. “I thought I was in the Sufa camp near Gaza. When you informed me I was in Ofer, I realized they have no intention of releasing me,” he said, expressing the realization that his journey through these detention centers might be far from over.

His lawyer pressed on, inquiring about the ongoing mistreatment. Mohammed confirmed that the appalling conditions he endured in “Sde Timan” prison persisted in Ofer, albeit with slight variations. “Every day is the same as the first day of arrest,” he said. “We continue to be beaten, threatened, and tortured. We cannot speak, we cannot move. It is an endless cycle. We have more than a hundred detainees who are ill, many with chronic conditions and injuries from previous torture. No one receives treatment, and the suffering is unbearable.”

The most harrowing events, according to Mohammed, occurred shortly after the lawyer’s visit. “A day after your visit, a group of soldiers arrived with dogs and randomly selected detainees,” he recounted. “They forced them to lie face down with their hands tied behind their backs, then set the dogs on them. The dogs clawed at their skin and flesh until the soldiers stopped them and forced the detainees to stand against an iron fence. The detainees were then beaten mercilessly, and the dogs were set upon them again.”

Mohammed’s voice faltered as he continued: “One soldier attempted to rape a detainee using a dog. The dogs were trained to attack the detainees in such a way. It is unimaginable.”

He paused to collect his thoughts before revealing even darker truths. “I witnessed the rape of a detainee before my very eyes. He was severely tortured, stripped, and then a fire extinguisher hose was inserted into his body and discharged. They said they were ‘extinguishing his pain,’ but he lost consciousness. His name was ‘H.M.'”

Mohammed described another terrifying incident: “Another detainee, ‘J.M.,’ suffered similar abuse. They electrocuted him with a high-voltage stick on his genitals and buttocks, pulling him by his genitals until he collapsed. No one knows where they took him afterward.”

The most tragic account Mohammed shared was that of an elderly detainee from the “S” family. “He was around sixty years old and had health issues. He repeatedly requested medical assistance but was ignored. One day, they beat him for failing to sit properly. They beat him until he lost consciousness and died in their arms. When they realized he was dead, they simply removed his body, and no one knows what became of it.”

At this point in the meeting, a soldier entered and informed the lawyer that the visit was over. Mohammed, his face marked by pain and exhaustion, began to weep.

Testimony from Tareq Abed

Tareq Abed, a detainee from Gaza, has endured over 160 days of torment, being transferred among various detention facilities under Israeli occupation. His lawyer recounted that he was abducted and initially placed in an Israeli army camp in the Gaza envelope for 45 days, then moved to an unknown location for 20 days. When asked about his whereabouts, Tareq only knew that he had been in Ofer Prison since August 4, 2024. During his detention, he underwent one round of interrogation involving brutal beatings and torture. The interrogation centered on questions about Hamas, rockets, and fighters—each time he responded: “I am a civilian.” Despite his clear statements, he was charged with communicating with and collaborating with Hamas, and his detention was extended indefinitely by a judge during a brief court session held via a soldier’s smartphone during Ramadan.

When the lawyer asked Tareq how he was doing, his response was both pained and resolute: “I am not okay. I thank God for all His trials, but we are continuously tortured, beaten constantly, and there is no place for rest here. I do not know what we did to deserve such death and torture. What if we were the ones occupying them? What if we were the ones besieging and killing them?”

Tareq’s description of conditions in Ofer Prison was stark, though he tried to find some semblance of perspective: “Compared to what I hear from other detainees who were transferred here, I am in relative bliss. Ofer differs from the other prisons I have been in, at least in structure. It consists of small concrete rooms with no ventilation, measuring approximately 5 x 6 meters. Sixteen detainees share these rooms, forced to sleep on iron beds without mattresses or pillows; sometimes, up to 25 detainees occupy the same space, with many sleeping on the floor. The food provided is meager: a small amount of bread, a cucumber or tomato, and a small packet of yogurt, served three times daily. We eat with our hands bound, like animals.”

Tareq detailed the humiliating conditions further. “The bathroom is open and offers no privacy. It is an Arab-style bathroom, monitored by cameras. We are allowed only one minute to shower, and I have only changed my clothes once since arriving. Showering is pointless when our clothing is already filthy.”

When asked whether he experienced additional torture, Tareq’s response was harrowing. He recounted how, during Ramadan, Israeli soldiers mocked the detainees and desecrated religious texts. “They brought three Qurans into the room, forced three young men to sit on clean mattresses, and took photos and videos. Afterward, the officer tore up the Qurans and trampled them in front of the detainees. There are two wards known as the ‘Hell’ and ‘Inferno’ wards—areas reserved for torture. We cannot see inside, but we hear the screams of those being tortured. Just days ago, soldiers attacked detainees in rooms 5, 6, and 7 with dogs, breaking most of their hands.”

Tareq’s words took a darker turn as he described the guards’ cruelty. “Masked soldiers enter, hurling insults at us, cursing our honor, our God, and our religion. They threaten us with rape, and some detainees have already suffered sexual humiliation, filmed for further torment. One prisoner, ‘M.N.’, has been enduring severe pain, but when he requested medical assistance, he was beaten instead of treated. Every time he cried out in pain, he was beaten more.”

As the lawyer’s visit concluded, a soldier entered and abruptly ended the meeting. Tareq was escorted out, leaving behind his testimony—a stark reminder of the ongoing brutality faced by Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli detention.

The brutal realities faced by Palestinian detainees in Israeli prisons are profoundly disturbing and must not be ignored. These firsthand accounts of unimaginable torture, sexual assault, and humiliation expose a systematic abuse that continues to deprive detainees of their fundamental human rights. It is crucial for the world to recognize these atrocities and hold the perpetrators accountable.

As these accounts continue to emerge, it is more imperative than ever to amplify the voices of those enduring suffering and advocate for justice. Every effort is significant in the pursuit of human dignity and rights. Let us stand in solidarity with the Palestinian people, denounce these injustices, and strive toward a future where such violations no longer transpire.