Latest news with #PalestinianPrisonersSociety
Arab News
17-07-2025
- Health
- Arab News
Palestinian man dies in Israeli jail a week after his arrest
LONDON: A 53-year-old Palestinian prisoner died in an Israeli jail after nearly a week following his arrest in Rummana, near Jenin, in the occupied West Bank. The Palestinian Detainees' Affairs Commission and the Palestinian Prisoners' Society announced on Thursday the death of Samir Mohammad Yousef Al-Rifai. He is the 74th Palestinian prisoner to die in Israeli custody since October 2023 and the 311th since Israel's illegal occupation of Palestinian Territories began in 1967. Al-Rifai, a father of five, was arrested by Israeli occupation forces at his home in Rummana on July 10. According to the Wafa news agency, he had pre-existing heart problems and required intensive medical follow-up. He was scheduled to have his first hearing in the Salem Military Court on Thursday. The commission and the PPS reported that Palestinian prisoners face systematic crimes, including torture, starvation, medical abuses, sexual assaults, and harsh conditions in Israeli prisons, which lead to the outbreak of diseases like scabies. The death of Al-Rifai 'constitutes a new crime added to the record of Israeli brutality, which commits all forms of crimes aimed at killing prisoners. This is another aspect of the ongoing genocide, and an extension of it,' they added. More than 10,000 Palestinians are currently held in Israeli prisons, the highest prisoner count since the Second Intifada in 2000, Palestinian prisoners' advocacy groups reported last week. As of early July, some 10,800 prisoners are said to be held in Israeli detention centers and prisons, including 50 women — two of whom are from the Gaza Strip — and over 450 children. Since the 1967 occupation of the Gaza Strip, the West Bank and East Jerusalem, over 800,000 Palestinians have spent time in Israeli jails, according to a UN report in 2023.
Days of Palestine
14-07-2025
- Politics
- Days of Palestine
Mass Arrest Campaign Sweeps West Bank
DaysofPal – Palestinian detainee organizations reported that Israeli forces carried out 3,850 arrests across the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, during the first half of 2025. Among those detained were around 400 children and 125 women. The figures, published Monday by the Commission of Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs, the Palestinian Prisoners Society, and Addameer, describe an intensified policy of mass arrests under what the groups called an ongoing campaign of systematic repression. The month of March saw the highest number of arrests—around 800 cases—including individuals who were later released. The majority of arrests targeted youth, former prisoners, and recently released detainees. The cities of Jenin and Tulkarem, which have faced some of the most aggressive military assaults since the Second Intifada, recorded the highest number of arrests, with 920 and 455 respectively. These campaigns were accompanied by large-scale displacement, home demolitions, extrajudicial killings, and mass detentions, particularly in refugee camps. Torture, Field Interrogations In many areas, field interrogations have become a widespread tactic, often replacing formal arrests. Hundreds of Palestinians—including children, women, and the elderly—have been subjected to violent beatings, psychological torture, and various forms of abuse during these interrogations. Human rights organizations noted that such practices are no less brutal than those taking place inside Israeli detention centers. Settler violence has also played a role in driving up arrests, especially in villages near illegal settlements. These raids often involve both settlers and Israeli soldiers acting in coordination, resulting in arrests, property destruction, and physical assaults on residents. Deteriorating Conditions Inside Israeli prisons, detainees continue to face deteriorating and inhumane conditions. The report highlighted a surge in torture, starvation, medical neglect, isolation, and sexual abuse since the war on Gaza began. The spread of scabies and other infectious diseases has worsened the health crisis among detainees. At least 19 Palestinian prisoners have died in Israeli custody in the first half of the year, including 10 from Gaza and 9 from the West Bank. One of them was a 17-year-old boy, Waleed Ahmad, from the town of Silwad. Testimonies from inside prisons and military detention centers reveal a pattern of systemic abuse. Many former detainees released in recent months have described horrific conditions, especially those who were held in secret locations or subjected to prolonged field interrogations. Administrative Detention Administrative detention—imprisonment without charge or trial—has reached an all-time high. As of early July 2025, Israel is holding 3,629 Palestinians under administrative detention orders, including 87 children and 10 women. Most of those detained this way are former prisoners, many of whom have been held multiple times under similar orders. Since the beginning of the war in October 2023, more than 18,000 Palestinians have been arrested in the West Bank alone. This number does not include thousands more detained in Gaza, where mass arrests have been carried out in secrecy. At least 560 women and 1,450 children have been detained since the onset of what rights groups describe as a campaign of extermination. As of this month, there are approximately 10,800 Palestinians in Israeli prisons—the highest number since the Second Intifada. This figure does not include those held in Israeli military camps. Among them are 50 women (including two from Gaza), more than 450 children, and 2,454 detainees classified by Israel as 'unlawful combatants,' a category that strips individuals of legal protections under international law and includes detainees from Lebanon and Syria. The report concludes by warning that these policies reflect a deepening effort to suppress Palestinian society through mass incarceration, collective punishment, and denial of fundamental rights. Shortlink for this post:
Days of Palestine
23-06-2025
- Politics
- Days of Palestine
PPS: IOF Arrests 7 Palestinian Women
DaysofPal – The Palestinian Prisoners Society (PPS) announced Monday that Israeli occupation forces (IOF) have arrested seven additional Palestinian women over the past two days, including a university student. The new female detainees bring the total number of Palestinian women currently held in Israeli prisons to 47. According to the statement, most of these arrests were carried out under allegations of 'incitement' on social media—part of what the organization describes as a systematic policy to criminalize digital expression and silence Palestinian voices. The PPS noted that such arrests often serve as a de facto form of administrative detention, bypassing due process and targeting freedom of speech. Currently, most female detainees are held in Damon Prison. Among them are two women from Gaza, two minors, two pregnant women in their sixth month, and ten administrative detainees. Notably, two women have been imprisoned since before October 7, and Israeli authorities continue to deny their release. The PPS also revealed that more than 560 Palestinian women have been arrested since the start of the ongoing war, including those from the West Bank, Jerusalem, and the Palestinian territories occupied in 1948. Due to the continuing siege and blackout in Gaza, exact figures for detainees from the Strip remain unavailable. The group warned that this escalation represents a deliberate and wide-ranging campaign of repression. It emphasized that the wave of arrests has targeted women of all ages and regions, including minors. In many cases, women have reportedly been detained as leverage, used to pressure male relatives to turn themselves in. The PPS described this practice as one of the most alarming trends to emerge since October 7. Shortlink for this post:
Arab News
18-06-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
Israeli forces kill young Palestinian, arrest 60 during night raids in West Bank
LONDON: Israeli forces killed a 21-year-old Palestinian and arrested at least 60 people during night raids on Tuesday across various towns in the occupied West Bank, including a woman, children, and former political prisoners. The Palestinian Authority's affiliated groups, the Commission of Prisoners' Affairs and the Palestinian Prisoner's Society, announced on Wednesday that Israeli forces have arrested 160 Palestinians in the West Bank so far this week. Some of those arrested were later released following interrogation. Moataz Al-Hajjleh, 21, from the town of Al-Walaja village near Bethlehem, was killed during an Israeli raid of the area overnight. Israeli forces conducted arrests and investigations during raids in several Palestinian governorates, including Nablus, Jenin and Ramallah. Israeli forces have turned dozens of Palestinian houses into military points after forcibly expelling their inhabitants in the Jenin environs, the Wafa news agency reported. At the same time, several villages had their entrances closed with earth mounds or gates. The prisoners' groups added that ongoing mass detention operations by Israeli forces 'continue to be the most prominent, consistent, and systematic policies employed by the occupation to undermine any escalating resistance against it.'
Days of Palestine
15-06-2025
- Politics
- Days of Palestine
Israel Imposes Total Lockdown on West Bank, Detains Dozens
Israeli occupation forces have intensified their military lockdown across the occupied West Bank for the third consecutive day, closing nearly all entrances and exits to cities, towns, and villages, while carrying out widespread raids and arrests. According to reports, Israeli forces have blocked major roads with concrete blocks and metal gates, severely restricting the movement of Palestinians. Simultaneously, a large-scale arrest campaign has swept through several districts, with dozens of young men detained. In occupied Jerusalem, all access points to surrounding towns remain shut. On Sunday at dawn, Israeli forces stormed Shu'fat refugee camp in northeast Jerusalem and arrested two young men after raiding their homes. In the town of Abu Dis, southeast of the city, soldiers reportedly assaulted youths during field interrogations and stormed several homes. In Ramallah and al-Bireh, Israeli troops reinforced their presence at key entrances, erecting military checkpoints and closing routes to several surrounding villages, including Rawabi, Ras Karkar, Deir Ammar, Turmus Ayya, and Sinjil. The main entrance to the town of al-Taybeh was also sealed. Nablus continues to be encircled by Israeli checkpoints. Soldiers closed off most village gates around the city and targeted civilian vehicles with sound bombs and tear gas, particularly near the Deir Sharaf checkpoint. Only two narrow routes—through Askar refugee camp and the town of al-Badhan—remain partially accessible. In Qalqilya, occupation forces shut the city's eastern entrance and locked gates leading to villages east of the city, including Nabi Elias, Immatin, and Hajja, restricting residents' movement. Al-Khalil faced the most extensive crackdown. Israeli troops sealed the main entrance to Idhna, barred movement on bypass roads, and closed all dirt paths leading in and out of the city. They detained at least 19 Palestinians on Sunday alone from across Hebron governorate, raiding neighborhoods, commercial shops, and homes in the process. In Idhna, detainees included Mohammad Abdulaziz al-Batran, Raafat Rashid al-Batran, Khattab Ismail al-Nattah, brothers Mohammad and Akram al-Fseisi, and Omar al-Nattah. Additional arrests took place in other areas of Al-Khalil, including the towns of Sa'ir and al-Dhahiriya, where dozens more were seized. Meanwhile, in the northern Jordan Valley, the Israeli military continues to block the Hamra and Tayasir checkpoints in both directions for the third day in a row. The closures are severely affecting residents, especially farmers trying to reach their lands or transport agricultural products to markets. The Palestinian Prisoners Society and the Commission for Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs said in a joint statement that over 40 Palestinians were arrested between Saturday night and Sunday morning, including minors and former detainees. Most of the arrests were concentrated in Hebron, with others in Ramallah, Nablus, Bethlehem, and Jerusalem. Since the beginning of Israel's war on Gaza in October 2023, approximately 17,500 Palestinians have been arrested across the West Bank. This figure includes those later released and does not account for thousands more detained in Gaza. The groups noted that arrests are increasingly accompanied by field interrogations, beatings, destruction of property, and even extrajudicial executions, particularly in Jenin and Tulkarm. The ongoing campaign has sparked fears among Palestinians of further escalations, with many communities effectively cut off and under siege. Shortlink for this post:
