The Palestinian Prisoners’ Society (PPS) has reported a series of abusive practices perpetrated by Israeli occupation forces against Palestinian female detainees in the notoriously harsh conditions of Damon Prison.
The report documents four separate incidents that occurred during the first half of August, highlighting the physical and psychological torture inflicted upon these women.
According to the PPS report, Israeli forces utilised police dogs, deployed tear gas, and engaged in degrading practices intended to break the detainees’ spirits. The incidents were recorded on 4, 8, 10, and 14 August. Testimonies collected by the PPS during field visits reveal that the women were shackled, forced to bow their heads, and paraded around the prison yard in a manner designed to humiliate and degrade them.
In addition to these direct assaults, the living conditions for Palestinian women in Damon Prison remain dire. Chronic food shortages, substandard meals, and infestations have led to widespread skin diseases among the prisoners. These issues are exacerbated by oppressive heat, high humidity, and insufficient ventilation. Access to essential hygiene and personal care items is heavily restricted by Israeli authorities, further magnifying the suffering of the detainees.
Currently, 48 Palestinian women are held in detention, including teenagers and one pregnant prisoner nearing her due date. The PPS asserts that these attacks are not isolated incidents but rather indicative of a longstanding and systematic policy employed by the Israeli prison system against Palestinian prisoners—a policy that has intensified in severity since the onset of the Israeli military actions in Gaza.
The Prisoners’ Society warns that conditions for female detainees are tragic and increasingly untenable. Despite their efforts to resist these oppressive measures through collective resilience, they continue to endure significant violations of their most basic rights.