Gaza: A Palestinian female prisoner, in a testimony documented by the Commission of Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs following a visit by her lawyer to Israel's Damon Prison, revealed that she was subjected to serious abuses since her arrest and through her detention.
According to Palestine News and Information Agency - WAFA, the detainee said that she faced harsh interrogations, constant psychological pressure, and threats against her family members, in addition to being sexually harassed by one of the interrogators.
The detainee recounted that Israeli forces raided her family home before dawn and transferred her between several interrogation centers, where she underwent lengthy interrogation sessions lasting for hours over several days. During these sessions, she faced threats of violence against her family members and repeated insults in an effort to extract confessions.
She further claimed that one of the interrogators deliberately and repeatedly sexually harassed her during the interrogation sessions, despite her clear objections and her informing him that his actions constituted harassment. Nevertheless, he persisted with the behavior.
The detainee also reported being subjected to strip searches on multiple occasions before being transferred to Damon Prison, where she described the detention conditions as falling below basic standards of human dignity. These conditions included severe overcrowding, poor-quality food, extreme cold, insect infestations, a shortage of hygiene products and clothing, and a lack of beds, forcing some detainees to sleep on the floor.
The detainee's testimony also highlighted that prison authorities continue to impose restrictive measures on female detainees, including frequent cell raids, surprise searches, solitary confinement, restrictions on communication between prison sections, and the denial of basic necessities.
The Commission stated that the testimony is one of a number of accounts documenting alleged violations against Palestinian female detainees inside Israeli prisons. It called for urgent international action to ensure their protection and to hold those responsible accountable under international law.