Gaza: The Al Mezan Center for Human Rights has condemned the continued mistreatment of Palestinian detainees in Israeli prisons, accusing Israeli authorities of ignoring international calls to uphold human rights and abide by international law.
According to Jordan News Agency, the center urged the international community to assume its legal and moral responsibilities and take immediate action to end ongoing Israeli violations. It called on international legal bodies to enforce international law and put an end to the culture of impunity that continues to harm Palestinian civilians.
Testimonies from detainees in Israel's Negev prison, gathered during a lawyer's visit, reveal that prison authorities reportedly denied them pre-dawn meals (suhoor) throughout Ramadan, providing only an insufficient iftar meal lacking essential nutrients. Detainees also reported outbreaks of skin diseases, inadequate medical care, and persistent mistreatment during interrogations and transfers between prisons.
The center highlighted that Israeli forces continue to hold thousands of Palestinian prisoners under harsh and inhumane conditions, leading to the deaths of more than 35 detainees due to torture. It condemned Israel's policy of denying detainees their legal rights, including access to legal counsel.
Furthermore, Al Mezan stressed that these ongoing violations constitute grave breaches of international humanitarian law and human rights law. It cited Article 147 of the Fourth Geneva Convention, which classifies torture and deliberate infliction of severe suffering as serious violations, as well as Article 8 of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, which defines such actions as war crimes.