Violations against Palestinian prisoners continue inside Israeli jails, with detainees, particularly women, facing repeated abuse and deliberate medical neglect, in clear breach of international humanitarian law.
In this context, Aisha Awad Al-Obayat, a detainee from the village of Al-Obayat near Bethlehem who has been held since 20 June 2025, has revealed violent practices occurring in Damon Prison. Her testimony sheds light on the serious threats facing female prisoners in the absence of oversight or accountability.
Al-Obayat reported that the prisoners were subjected to several crackdowns involving violent physical assaults and being sprayed with gas directly in the face. She noted that the most brutal incident took place on 12 May, with two additional assaults occurring in recent days.
She stated that during one incident, the prison guards sprayed gas directly into her eyes and those of another detainee, then threw them to the ground and beat them with shoes on their backs, while restraining them with painful plastic handcuffs from behind.
Al-Obayat explained that the prison authorities used three gas canisters in the previous assault and one during the latest one, which she described as “the least harmful” compared to past incidents.
She also highlighted the worsening health conditions of the detainees. One woman reportedly fainted due to a sharp drop in blood pressure and was only advised to drink water and lift her legs as a form of “treatment”, while proper medical tests were refused.
Another prisoner has had untreated wounds on her hands since the day of her arrest, and a separate detainee still suffers from sprains in her hand and foot caused during one of the assaults, without receiving any medical attention.
These actions constitute a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law and all international agreements that guarantee the protection of detainees, including their rights to be free from torture and degrading treatment, and to receive appropriate medical care.
