On Mother's Day, the occupation authorities continue to deny 14 Palestinian mothers their freedom and to hold their children. As of today, around 25 Palestinian female prisoners remain in Israeli jails, enduring extremely harsh conditions. The imprisonment of these mothers has left dozens of children deprived of their presence.
In recent months, Palestinian women have faced one of the bloodiest and most brutal periods, with systematic violations escalating—especially amid the ongoing brutal aggression and genocide against the Palestinian people. Palestinian women, particularly female prisoners, endure oppression and abuse that violate all their human rights, in a reality that repeats itself daily without accountability.
Since the first days of the genocide, the occupation authorities have carried out mass arrest campaigns targeting tens of thousands of Palestinians, including women and mothers. Notably, following the genocide against the Palestinian people, the highest recorded number of female arrests was documented, with more than 500 Palestinian women detained by the occupation forces.
The Suffering of the Palestinian Mother: Arrest, Isolation, and Endless Suffering
The suffering of the Palestinian mother begins the moment Israeli occupation forces violently storm her home—often in the late hours of the night. She is torn away from her children at gunpoint, amid their cries and the deliberate brutality inflicted before their eyes. But her suffering does not end with the arrest; it continues through harsh transport and interrogation procedures, where she faces humiliation, psychological and physical torture.
In addition, since the beginning of the genocide, female prisoners have been completely denied family visits. The occupation authorities have isolated them from the outside world, banning visits from the Red Cross and imposing severe restrictions on lawyers' access to prisoners in Israeli jails.
The Suffering of Female Prisoners in Interrogation and Detention Centers
After their arrest, Palestinian women detainees face further suffering in the occupation's interrogation centers, where they are subjected to harsh questioning methods. They are forced to stand for long hours in inhumane conditions or forced to sit in difficult positions. They are deprived of sleep and food and subjected to constant threats of violence in all its forms—all aimed at extracting confessions or obtaining information. Many are denied the right to communicate with their lawyers, further deepening their suffering and leaving long-term physical and psychological scars.
Damon Prison: Harsh Conditions and Inhumane Detention
The Israeli occupation holds the vast majority of Palestinian female prisoners in Damon Prison, one of the main detention centers for Palestinian women. The detainees in this prison endure extremely harsh conditions, which have worsened significantly since October 7, especially in the weeks that followed. During this time, female prisoners faced continuous assaults, including solitary confinement, violent repression by special forces, confiscation of all personal belongings, and denial of their most basic rights—including the right to communicate with their families and children.
As part of these ongoing violations, prison authorities have enforced a starvation policy, preventing female prisoners—along with other detainees—from purchasing food through the "canteen" and instead providing them with poor-quality meals that are insufficient in both quantity and nutrition. Additionally, they are subjected to deliberate medical neglect.
Overcrowding has further exacerbated their suffering, forcing many detainees to sleep on the floor due to severe shortages of clothing and blankets. The situation has worsened with the cold weather, as some female prisoners have been forced to wear the same clothes they were arrested in for extended periods without the ability to change.
Medical Neglect of Female Prisoners: Ongoing Suffering and Denial of Treatment
Prisoner (R.A.) is three months pregnant inside Israeli prisons.
The medical neglect of female and male Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons has been a systematic human rights violation for decades. Many female detainees are denied necessary medical care, despite suffering from chronic illnesses or injuries sustained during their arrest. They are deprived of essential medications, and in many cases, they experience severe delays in receiving medical treatment, which leads to the worsening of their health conditions.
Among the imprisoned mothers, at least one is three months pregnant. She is a mother of two children and suffers from deteriorating health due to deliberate medical neglect. Like many other female detainees, she is denied adequate care, including necessary medical examinations and essential treatment to protect her health and that of her unborn child. This gross violation of the rights of pregnant women in detention further exacerbates their physical and psychological suffering, especially given the lack of access to nutritious meals. Pregnant prisoners are deprived of proper food quality and suffer from severe malnutrition, preventing them from receiving the nutrients necessary for their well-being and that of their baby.
Among the cases of imprisoned mothers, there is a mother of two martyrs, the prisoner Hanin Jaber from Tulkarm, another prisoner suffering from cancer, the prisoner (F.A.) from Qalqilya, in addition to two imprisoned sisters who are also mothers, Iman and Afnan Zahour from Hebron, as well as a mother and her daughter detained together from Nablus, Dalal Halabi and her daughter Islam, in addition to the prisoner Aya Al-Khatib, who has been detained since before October 7.
Mothers of Prisoners: Constant Anxiety and Total Isolation
It is not only the prisoners who endure the pain of isolation and deprivation—their suffering extends to their families, especially their mothers, who live in daily anguish, worrying about the fate of their detained sons and daughters without any means to check on them or hear their voices.
Today, all Palestinian prisoners—without exception—are completely isolated from their families due to the occupation’s repressive measures, which ban family visits and block all means of communication.
The Arrest of Women From Gaza Amidst the Genocide: Ongoing Suffering and Heartbreaking Stories
Following the genocide and the Israeli ground invasion of Gaza, many Palestinian women have been arrested under inhumane conditions. The exact number of detained women remains unknown, as part of a systematic Israeli policy aimed at punishing the Palestinian people—especially mothers. The arrests have targeted women of all ages, including mothers, students, activists, and even minors. Though precise statistics are lacking, the occupation authorities continue to commit the crime of enforced disappearance against detainees from the Gaza Strip.
Among the many heartbreaking stories, one case stands out—an elderly Palestinian woman from Gaza, still imprisoned despite her old age. She was arrested alongside her two daughters, one of whom was detained for a long period before being released in the last prisoner exchange, while the mother remains under arrest. She continues to endure much pain, suffering from the effects of aging and illnesses that are aggravated by deliberate medical neglect.