Palestinian women in Israeli prisons report that they are subjected to various abuses, medical neglect, and forms of collective punishment.
On the occasion of 8 March, International Women’s Day, women prisoners in Damon prison report that, “this year, women prisoners in Damon have been subjected to numerous forms of abuse and collective punishment. Abuses include a ban on visits and phone calls, the closing of the prison commissary, and medical negligence.”
“The attack on both male and female prisoners is closely connected with the Israeli occupation our people continues to suffer, one which includes the confiscation of our lands and settlements”, the prisoners’ message continues.
The prisoners demand an “intensified” effort to liberate all Palestinian prisoners, in particular the elderly, the sick, minors, and those facing life in prison.
According to the message, 32 women prisoners are currently held in Damon prison, including 11 mothers, 7 women over the age of 50, one minor, and one administrative prisoner, i.e. a prisoner held without trial or charge.
Palestinian prisoners threaten hunger strike.
More generally, Palestinian prisoners across the Israeli prison system have threatened an open hunger strike, starting on the 25 March of this month, in opposition to the various abusive measures being imposed on them.
This follows the occupation prison administration’s introducing certain abusive measures, including limiting the amount of time prisoners are allowed to use the exercise yard, and its refusal to respond to Nafha prisoners’ demand to end the use of electronic gating.
Such measures follow the escape of six Palestinian detainees from Gilboa prison last September.
As of January 2022, there are approximately 4,500 Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons, including 34 women and 180 children.
