An Israeli doctor revealed crimes committed against Palestinian prisoners from Gaza, detained in a prison in the Negev Desert. According to the Israeli newspaper “Haaretz” on Thursday, April 4th, 2024, the doctor stated that the occupation authorities “commit legal violations in a secret prison in the Negev.”
The Israeli newspaper clarified that the doctor’s revelations came in a letter delivered last week to the Minister of Defense, the Minister of Health, and the legal advisor to the Israeli government, describing the conditions faced by Palestinian prisoners detained there.
According to the testimony of the Israeli doctor, the occupation authorities endanger the health of Palestinian prisoners from Gaza, and the state itself risks violating the law. In his letter, he pointed out that “just this week, two patients had their legs amputated due to the effects of the restraints, unfortunately, this has become a routine occurrence.”
The doctor, who worked in a field hospital affiliated with the secret prison in the Negev Desert, added that the detainees feed on herbs, defecate in diapers, and their hands remain constantly bound. These practices contradict medical standards and international law, as reported by the Israeli newspaper.
Serious ethical dilemmas
The doctor stated in his letter: “Since the early days of operating the medical facility (in the detention centre), I have faced serious ethical dilemmas, and I am writing this letter to warn you that even a single provision of health is not being complied with.”
He also reported that “all patients, Palestinian prisoners from Gaza, are shackled from all four limbs, regardless of the severity, and their eyes are blindfolded.”
The Israeli doctor continued that “under these conditions, even young and healthy patients lose weight after a week or two of treatment in the hospital, which does not receive regular supplies of medical equipment or medications.”
In response to the doctor’s letter, an Israeli army spokesman claimed that “Palestinian prisoners from Gaza receive enough food, have access to toilets, and if their movement is restricted, they are provided with diapers,” according to the newspaper.
According to the doctor, “more than half of the patients were injured due to constant handcuffing during their detention… The handcuffs cause serious injuries that require repeated surgical interventions.”
While an army spokesman claimed that “the method of handcuffing detainees is determined according to the law and the severity of each detainee, to ensure the safety of the forces and medical staff.” He also claimed that “the decision to handcuff the detainee takes into account his health condition. Due to the injuries, “the handcuffs were changed to another type, and the guards ensured that there was sufficient space between the handcuffs and the detainees’ limbs.”
In addition to the doctor’s letter, the newspaper quoted three sources as saying, “At the beginning of the war, one of the detainees who was injured had his hand amputated due to prolonged restraint.”
In response, an army spokesperson stated, “An investigation into the incident was conducted, and due to the absence of a criminal offence, no investigation was opened by the military police.”
The newspaper added, “Detainees suffer from chronic illnesses, and since the outbreak of the war, there has been a shortage of medications. Detainees have also suffered from prolonged epileptic seizures.”
Israel holds at least 9,100 Palestinians in its prisons and forcibly disappears detainees from Gaza. Information about their number is not available, according to concerned Palestinian institutions.
Crimes against Palestinian prisoners from Gaza
Human rights organizations have previously revealed crimes committed by the Israeli occupation against Palestinian prisoners from Gaza after their arrest from the Gaza Strip.
The Euro-Mediterranean Observatory for Human Rights announced a disturbing discovery related to Israeli occupation prisons, revealing the Israeli army’s invitation to groups of Israeli civilians to attend interrogation sessions with Palestinian prisoners to witness and document the torture they are subjected to.
The Euro-Mediterranean Observatory received shocking testimonies from Palestinian prisoners and detainees who were recently released, confirming that the Israeli army summoned Israeli civilians, ranging from 10 to 20 individuals per group, to witness the torture and harsh treatment they endured.
The testimonies added that Palestinian prisoners from Gaza were detained in detention centers in the “Zikim” area and the “Negev” prison, where they were beaten with metal rods and electric sticks, had hot water poured on their heads, all in the presence of Israeli civilians who were recording the crimes on their mobile phones.
According to the Observatory, the prisoners were stripped naked and subjected to torture openly and with the participation of Israeli civilians, who directed blows and insults at them in Arabic.
The Euro-Mediterranean Observatory also mentioned last February that this is the first time such illegal practices have been revealed, with torture being carried out in the presence of Israeli civilians and allowing them to document it with their phones as they look on.
