GAZA, (PIC)
The Hamas Movement and the Asra Media Office (AMO) have called for urgent international intervention to address escalating abuses against detainees in Israeli prisons, warning that the execution legislation marks a dangerous turning point.
Hamas said the issue of prisoners remains a top national priority, urging the United Nations and international bodies to act immediately to stop what it described as grave violations, particularly in light of the recently endorsed law allowing the execution of prisoners.
In a statement on Friday marking Palestinian Prisoners’ Day on April 17, Hamas said around 9,500 Palestinians are currently held in Israeli prisons, including approximately 300 children and 84 women, amid what it described as a worsening humanitarian crisis.
The Movement also highlighted the situation of around 1,500 detainees from Gaza who have reportedly been held in undisclosed facilities since October 2023, where they face severe physical and psychological abuse, as well as enforced disappearance.
Separately, the AMO described Palestinian Prisoners’ Day as a critical moment to remind the world of the growing danger facing detainees, citing an unprecedented escalation in repression inside Israeli prisons.
The AMO reported that detainees are subjected to systematic abuse, including physical and psychological torture, deliberate medical neglect described as a “slow killing” policy, prolonged solitary confinement, and daily mistreatment.
According to the latest figures, more than 9,600 Palestinians are currently detained, including 86 women and around 350 children. Over 3,500 are held under administrative detention without charge or trial, while 1,251 are classified as “unlawful combatants,” a designation that strips them of basic legal protections.
The AMO warned that the Israeli execution law constitutes a clear violation of international conventions and effectively legalizes killing, while also criticizing policies that cut financial support to prisoners’ families.
It also raised alarm over deteriorating health conditions inside prisons, citing the spread of disease, lack of medical care, food shortages, and restrictions on family visits and communication.
Both Hamas and the AMO called for intensified legal, political, and media efforts to hold Israel accountable, demand access for international investigation bodies to detention facilities, and secure the release of detainees.
They also praised growing solidarity movements in Western countries and called for expanding global mobilization to keep the prisoners’ issue at the forefront of international attention.
Despite the mounting pressure, Palestinian groups stressed that the issue of prisoners will remain central to their struggle until all detainees are freed.
