Addameer

Statement by Human Rights and Civil Society Organisations in Response to Human Rights Watch Investigation of Al Ahli Hospital Strike

addameer — Tue, 28 Nov 2023 09:03:04 +0000

Statement by Human Rights and Civil Society Organisations in Response to Human Rights Watch Investigation of Al Ahli Hospital Strike

We, the undersigned human rights and civil society organisations, are deeply troubled by the premature release of an inconclusive report by Human Rights Watch (HRW) regarding the Al Ahli Hospital strike of October 17, 2023. Without definitive results, key evidence, or access to the Al Ahli Hospital site, HRW’s decision to publish this while Israel continues its genocidal war including the targeting of hospitals must be questioned.

addameer Tue, 11/28/2023 - 11:03

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https://www.addameer.org/node/add/news

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Tuesday, November 28, 2023 - 12:00

Statement by Human Rights and Civil Society Organisations in Response to Human Rights Watch Investigation of Al Ahli Hospital Strike

addameer — Tue, 28 Nov 2023 09:00:58 +0000

Statement by Human Rights and Civil Society Organisations in Response to Human Rights Watch Investigation of Al Ahli Hospital Strike

addameer Tue, 11/28/2023 - 11:00

28-11-2023

Human rights organizations have a clear responsibility to protect. Yet at a time of unfolding genocide, (as defined by many experts and UN Officials) instead of calling for a ceasefire and working to end what UNSG called a “crisis of humanity”, HRW is choosing to spread unfounded theories. Given the lack of evidence, this can only be seen as supporting Israeli propaganda and justification for the ongoing genocide. Indeed, HRW risks exacerbating the already catastrophic situation facing Gaza’s health care system by emboldening further Israeli attacks on medical facilities.

Based on the opinions of military experts who had no access to the site of the strike and relied exclusively on photos and videos, the HRW investigation concluded that the explosion at Al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza on Oct 17 was caused by an apparent rocket-propelled munition. Further, they noted that Palestinian armed groups commonly use such rockets and called for an investigation to determine who fired it. They base their conclusion on the assumption that this kind of munition is not what Israel usually uses, disregarding entirely the possibility that Israel may very well have used a new type of munition.

Many local human rights organizations supported calls for an independent investigation and accountability. In addition, several credible investigations have debunked central claims in the Israeli government narrative, and other investigations have cast serious doubt on the plausibility of that narrative. HRW based their assumptions on the size of the crater, the type of splatter adjoining it, and the pattern of fragmentation around it without access to the site. They suggested it was consistent with the impact of a local rocket despite the fact that it has never been documented that a Palestinian fired munition had caused such impact or damage.

HRW notes in its report that it tries to balance its findings with a response they received from Hamas despite the fact that Israel has blamed PIJ for the incident. Given the dire conditions on the ground, Gaza currently lacks any semblance of a civil authority—let alone one capable of engaging with such requests for disclosure of evidence or information. Meanwhile, Israel continues to withhold critical evidence, including two videos from non-military sources. On its part, HRW does not appear to have submitted Freedom of Information Law requests for key evidence from Israel.

We deplore HRW’s grave error in judgement- one which has devastating implications far beyond the borders of Gaza and the rest of Palestine. At a time when public trust in independent fact-finding institutions is of paramount importance, this HRW report weakens the credibility of human rights organisations and places Palestinian lives at risk.

Signatures:

Palestinian NGO Network (PNGO)

The Independent Commision for Human Rights

Addameer Prisoner Support and Human Rights

Defense for Children International - Palestine (DCIP)

Jerusalem Legal Aid and Human Rights Center(JLAC)

Women’s Center for Legal Aid and Counselling (WCLAC)

Palestinian Bar Association

The Palestinian Initiative for the Promotion of Global Dialogue and Democracy (MIFTAH)

AMAN Coalition

The Palestinian General Federation of Trade Unions (PGFTU)

Palestinian Journalists Syndicate (PJS)

The Civil Commission for the Independence of the Judiciary and the Rule of the Law (ISTIQLAL)

Arab World Democracy and Electoral Monitor (Al Marsad)

Human Rights and Democracy Media Center (SHAMS)

The Palestinian Center for the Independence of the Judiciary and the Legal Profession (MUSAWA)

Tamer Institute for Community Education

The Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms (MADA)

Rawa Creative Palestinian Communities Fund

Lawyers for Justice Palestine

The Community Action Center - Al-Quds University

General Union of Palestinian Engineers

General Union of Palestinian Teachers

Palestinian General Union of Writers

General Palestinian Trade Unions
Medical association - Jerusalem Center

Federation of Health Professions

Palestinian Dental Association

Jerusalem Center Pharmacists Association

Palestinian Union of Psychologists and Social Workers

Syndicates Palestinian Nursery and Midwifery Association

Palestinian Working Woman Society for Development (PWWSD)

Union of Agricultural Work Committees (UAWC)

Women’s Studies Centre

The Palestinian Association for Empowerment and Local Development (REFORM)

Palestinian Youth Association for Leadership and Rights Activation (PYALARA)

Jerusalem Center Agricultural Engineers Association

Palestinian Veterinarians Syndicate

Jerusalem Center Palestinian Accountants

Palestinian Contractors Union

117 Palestinian Women and Child Detainees Released So Far in Prisoner Exchange as Addameer Reiterates the Call for the Protection and Release of Palestinian Prisoners

addameer — Mon, 27 Nov 2023 10:50:07 +0000

117 Palestinian Women and Child Detainees Released So Far in Prisoner Exchange as Addameer Reiterates the Call for the Protection and Release of Palestinian Prisoners

On 24, 25, and 26 November 2023, 117 Palestinian women and child detainees were released by Israeli occupation authorities as part of a prisoner’s exchange accompanying the start of the four-day temporary truce in the Gaza Strip. Among those released are 30 women and 87 children from the occupied West Bank and Jerusalem, the oldest of whom is a 58-year-old woman, Hanan Barghouthi, detained without charge or trial, and the youngest include several 16-year-old boys. Among the 259 Palestinian political prisoners slated for potential release are 33 women and 226 children as young as 14 years-old.

addameer Mon, 11/27/2023 - 12:50

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https://www.addameer.org/news/5234

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Monday, November 27, 2023 - 12:00

117 Palestinian Women and Child Detainees Released So Far in Prisoner Exchange as Addameer Reiterates the Call for the Protection and Release of Palestinian Prisoners

addameer — Mon, 27 Nov 2023 10:02:29 +0000

117 Palestinian Women and Child Detainees Released So Far in Prisoner Exchange as Addameer Reiterates the Call for the Protection and Release of Palestinian Prisoners

addameer Mon, 11/27/2023 - 12:02

27-11-2023

Addameer Press Release 11_25.pdf

The long-awaited release of Palestinian women and child detainees took place amid widespread media restrictions, bans, and threats against the documentation and celebration of prisoners’ release. At the Israeli Ofer military base, where women and child detainees from the West Bank were released, Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) enacted a media ban preventing journalists from gathering at the site of the release and shooting sound grenades and tear gas into crowds of awaiting people. In Jerusalem, Palestinian women and child detainees were released from Al-Mascobiyeh detention center (Russian Compound) under greater threats of harassment and restrictions against any celebration. Israeli Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir ordered police to crack down on any celebrations, including a ban on the distribution of sweets and confiscating them. Released Palestinian women and child detainees reported being taken to Israeli intelligence (Shin Bet) interrogators prior to their release and threatened with re-arrest if they participated in celebrations or media interviews discussing detention conditions and abuse.

Despite the serious threats and restrictions, Palestinians gathered in Ramallah, Nablus, Jenin, and elsewhere across the occupied West Bank to celebrate the release of the Palestinian women and children. Released prisoners’ shared testimonies in media interviews and videos confirming inhumane detention conditions, retaliatory collective punishment enacted against Palestinian prisoners by Israeli occupation authorities since 7 October, and serious threats of re-arrest and retaliation.

Many of the released Palestinian women and children were subject to assault, ill-treatment, and the denial of critical medical care, as is the case with Israa Jaabis and Fatima Shaheen. Israa Jaabis suffered from severe third-degree burns and lost all of her fingers in a car fire at the time of her arrest, yet was denied surgery or any medication beyond painkillers. Fatima Shaheen was shot by IOF upon her arrest and partly paralyzed. Wassim Tamimi, (16) years old, was shot in the head with a rubber bullet a few days before his arrest. Palestinian women and child prisoners were released late at night in poor clothing with many of them barefoot.

Regarding the youngest women prisoner, Nufuz Hammad, her name appeared in the list of those released, her father was summoned to the Mascobiyeh Center, where he was threatened not to celebrate or raise flags. After waiting for hours late into the night, he was taken out, and she was not released. Later, her lawyer and family learned that she had been transferred to Hadassah Hospital without knowing the reasons, and her lawyer was prevented from visiting her.

Many reiterated mixed expressions of joy and sadness that their release came “at the cost of the bloodshed in Gaza.” From the beginning of the Israeli aggression against Palestinians until this day, over 15000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, with more than half of them being children and women. In addition to (250) Palestinians killed in the occupied West Bank.

Situation in prisons before release

The release of Palestinian women and child political prisoners highlights the systematic, arbitrary, and mass incarceration of Palestinian civilians in Israeli military prisons. Since October 7, Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) launched a mass arrest campaign arresting over 3,260 Palestinians, including 120 women and over 200 children. Many of these arrests took place in the form of violent night-time raids with IOF storming detainees’ homes, assaulting family members, and destroying property. Currently, over 7,000 Palestinian political prisoners are held in Israeli prisons, including over 2,500 held under administrative detention without charge or trial.

Israeli occupation authorities systematically prosecute Palestinian children in military courts. Between 500-1,000 Palestinian children are detained annually, according to Defence for Children International - Palestine. Many children detained for years as minors are later tried as adults and sentenced to years in prison, all of whom are excluded from the current deal. Similar to the case of Ahmad Manasra, who was 13 years old when he was first arrested and subject to psychological and physical torture, including two years of solitary confinement. Israeli occupation authorities have reportedly denied Ahmad humanitarian release. Ahmad is now 21 years old and remains incarcerated.

The Israeli occupation’s most recent mass arrest campaign coincides with its crackdown against the thousands of Palestinian prisoners already held in Israeli prisons. Addameer documented many of the extensive violations, including violent raids by Israeli Special Forces firing tear gas and beating prisoners, an indefinite blanket bans on family visits, restrictions on lawyers’ visits, prohibiting access to medical care, cutting of electricity in several prisons, and transferring a number of prisoners to isolation. Released prisoners’ testimonies confirm the harsh retaliatory and punitive measures enacted by the Israeli occupation.

Call for protection of Released Palestinian Women and Children and the Release of All Palestinian Political Prisoners

For years, Addameer has consistently emphasized the illegality of the Israeli military judicial system, which oversees the arrest and detention of tens of thousands of Palestinian civilians every year with a conviction rate of over 99.7%. The military judicial system is implicated in serious war crimes—including the unlawful deportation of Palestinians from occupied territory and the intentional denial of a fair and regular trial—and is part and parcel to Israel’s colonial and apartheid apparatus to suppress, control, and delegitimize the Palestinian people. The most recent release of dozens of Palestinian women and children only confirms the illegal and arbitrary nature of their initial capture and incarceration by the Israeli occupation.

Addameer calls for the immediate protection of the released Palestinian women and children from threats of re-arrest or retaliatory harassment by Israeli occupation authorities.

Finally, Addameer calls for the release of all Palestinian political prisoners arbitrarily held in Israeli occupation prisons, including administrative detainees held without charge or trial, child prisoners subjected to systematic torture and ill treatment, as well as sick and ill prisoners experiencing the policy of medical neglect.

78 children and women prisoners embrace freedom amid extremely difficult detention conditions

addameer — Sun, 26 Nov 2023 14:20:21 +0000

78 children and women prisoners embrace freedom amid extremely difficult detention conditions

Since Friday evening, Israeli occupation authorities have released 78 child prisoners and detainees who have spent varying periods within the occupation's prisons. This came after a prisoner exchange deal with Hamas in Gaza as part of a truce agreement. It is expected that the occupation authorities will gradually release a total of 150 male and female prisoners from the West Bank and occupied Jerusalem during the days of the truce, in exchange for the release of several Israeli prisoners in Gaza. In the past few days, 30 female prisoners have been released, including four administrative detainees, and 14 prisoners serving varied sentences, the highest is the released prisoner Shorouq Dwayyat, sentenced to 16 years. Among those released were also several injured prisoners, including Israa al-Ja'abees, who suffers severe burns, and Fatima Shaheen, who lost the ability to walk after being shot by the occupation forces.

addameer Sun, 11/26/2023 - 16:20

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https://www.addameer.org/news/5232

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Sunday, November 26, 2023 - 12:00

78 children and women prisoners embrace freedom amid extremely difficult detention conditions

addameer — Sun, 26 Nov 2023 14:16:08 +0000

78 children and women prisoners embrace freedom amid extremely difficult detention conditions

addameer Sun, 11/26/2023 - 16:16

26-11-2023

78 children and women prisoners embrace freedom amid extremely difficult detention conditions.pdf

Regarding children, the occupation authorities released 48 child prisoners in the past two days, among them the injured child prisoner Wisam Tamimi, who had been shot in the head few days before his arrest. The Israeli prison service (IPS) has practiced deliberate medical neglect and assaulted him during detention, and he is still under trial. Additionally, seven children under arbitrary administrative detention were released, and it is also expected to release the child Mohammad Abu Qutaish, who is serving a 15-year sentence, which is the highest sentence among the children, in the coming days.

The Israeli forces deliberately assaulted the prisoners and their families during the prisoner release operations. They delayed the release of prisoners until late at night, and they released the child prisoners wearing clothes that did are too big for their size, and some of them were barefoot. Additionally, the clothes did not provide adequate protection from the cold weather. The forces also used sound bombs, gas, rubber bullets, and live ammunition in front of Ofer Prison while families were gathered, awaiting the release of their loved ones.

Moreover, the Israeli forces raided the homes of the prisoners before their release in occupied Jerusalem, preventing them from any signs of celebration upon reuniting with their sons and daughters. The families were summoned to the Mascobiyyeh interrogation center and subjected to arbitrary conditions that prohibited gatherings, banned marches and fireworks, and prevented chanting slogans. The Israeli forces also assaulted journalists who were present at the homes of the detainees in Jerusalem, by physically assaulting and expelling them, prohibiting them from media coverage.

Addameer briefs the General- Secretary of the International Federation of Journalists, Anthony Bellanger, on the conditions of journalists detained in the occupation's prisons and demands pressure for their release.

addameer — Thu, 23 Nov 2023 11:55:14 +0000

Addameer briefs the General- Secretary of the International Federation of Journalists, Anthony Bellanger, on the conditions of journalists detained in the occupation's prisons and demands pressure for their release.

Addameer met today, Thursday, 23/11/2023, along with a group of Palestinian civil society organizations, with the General- Secretary of the International Federation of Journalists, Anthony Bellanger, at the headquarters of the Journalists Syndicate in Ramallah.

Addameer informed the General- Secretary about the cases of detention among journalists, stating that approximately 46 journalists are currently held in occupation prisons, 29 of whom were arrested after the 7th of October. The occupying authorities launched widespread arrest campaigns that targeted various sectors of the Palestinian population, resulting in the detention of over 3130 Palestinians, including 40 journalists. Eleven of them have been released, while 29 remain in detention.

addameer Thu, 11/23/2023 - 13:55

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https://www.addameer.org/news/5227

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Thursday, November 23, 2023 - 12:00

Addameer briefs the General- Secretary of the International Federation of Journalists, Anthony Bellanger, on the conditions of journalists detained in the occupation's prisons and demands pressure for their release.

addameer — Thu, 23 Nov 2023 11:53:25 +0000

addameer Thu, 11/23/2023 - 13:53

23-11-2023

Addameer briefs the General.pdf

The General- Secretary was also briefed on the case of the journalist Sumayya Jawabreh (30 years old), who was arrested while seven months pregnant on charges of incitement on social media. Later, she was released under harsh and retaliatory conditions, including a bail of 10,000 shekels, indefinite house arrest, and a ban on using any social media platforms.

Addameer also highlighted the situation of a Palestinian journalist who was detained as a hostage until her husband surrenders himself to the occupation authorities.

Addameer also reported that most of the journalists arrested after the 7th of October were subjected to administrative detention orders. This means they are arbitrarily detained without charge, trial and indefinitely, based on a secret file inaccessible to the detainee or their lawyer. As for the remaining journalists, they face charges related to incitement on social media, which violates their fundamental rights to freedom of opinion, expression, and journalistic work.

At the end of the meeting, Addameer urged the General- Secretary to issue a clear and public stance against the arbitrary detention of Palestinian journalists, constituting a war crime. Additionally, Addameer demanded the General-Secretary to put pressure on the occupying authorities to release all Palestinian journalists from occupation prisons.

ADDAMEER reviews the most recent developments inside the occupation's prisons and the ongoing arrest campaigns in the West Bank and occupied Jerusalem.

addameer — Wed, 22 Nov 2023 10:32:41 +0000

ADDAMEER reviews the most recent developments inside the occupation's prisons and the ongoing arrest campaigns in the West Bank and occupied Jerusalem.

Ramallah - Since the beginning of the occupation's aggression against Palestinians in Gaza and the occupied West Bank on October 7th, Israeli forces have killed more than 13,000 Palestinians in Gaza and over 225 Palestinians from the occupied West Bank, most of whom were women and children. The occupation authorities have carried out massive arrest campaigns that have affected most cities, villages, and refugee camps in the West Bank and occupied Jerusalem.

Palestinian prisoners’ organization have documented around 3,000 cases of arrest in the West Bank and Jerusalem since October 7th. The total number of prisoners inside occupation prisons has exceeded 7,000, according to initial statistics. Some have been released while the majority remains in custody, with most detainees being subjected to arbitrary administrative detention. The arrest campaigns have targeted a large number of released prisoners and activists, in addition to dozens of children, women, and journalists.

addameer Wed, 11/22/2023 - 12:32

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https://www.addameer.org/news/5224

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Wednesday, November 22, 2023 - 12:00

ADDAMEER reviews the most recent developments inside the occupation's prisons and the ongoing arrest campaigns in the West Bank and occupied Jerusalem.

addameer — Wed, 22 Nov 2023 10:25:17 +0000

ADDAMEER reviews the most recent developments inside the occupation's prisons and the ongoing arrest campaigns in the West Bank and occupied Jerusalem.

addameer Wed, 11/22/2023 - 12:25

22-11-2023

ADDAMEER reviews the most recent developments inside the occupation.pdf

Human rights organizations inside the occupied Palestinian territories 1948 have recorded dozens of cases of arrests of students and activists for their social media posts. Additionally, there have been dozens of cases of arrests in Gaza without details or numbers available about these detentions.

Torture and beating of detainees during arrest operations...

Within the continuous arrest campaigns in various Palestinian areas, there has been a noticeable and clear employment of tactics by the occupation involving torture through beatings, deliberate humiliation, intimidation, as well as the destruction of private and public properties during arrest operations. Large numbers of occupation forces have been raiding Palestinian cities and villages since October 7th, forcefully entering homes in a brutal manner. Often, doors are blown up, children are terrorized, and police dogs are used. Frequently, field interrogations are conducted inside homes, involving insults, shouting, and beatings in front of all family members.

One university student, (A.H), is among dozens of detainees subjected to brutal beatings and torture during the arrest process. Special forces stormed his house in the town of Kharbatha Al Misbah west of Ramallah. The soldiers started kicking and violently hitting him in front of his family. They also proceeded to assault his brothers in front of him before forcefully binding and dragging him to the military jeep. They continued beating him while transporting him in the military vehicle. They then filmed him while beating and humiliating him, sharing the clips on "TikTok". Upon arrival at the Ofer military camp, the soldiers there also assaulted him, causing him severe pain across his body. Subsequently, A.H was transferred to the “Atsion” detention center, where soldiers subjected him to further harsh treatment, throwing him on the ground for over four hours. What happened to A.H reflects the recent policy of the occupation towards detainees, showing a complete disregard for any human standards.

Widespread arrest campaigns and military encirclement around Palestinian villages...

(Al-Mughayyir village as an example)

The Israeli forces deliberately conduct massive arrest campaigns, often lasting for extended periods, as a form of collective punishment specifically in areas near the settlements. The occupation army invades the area, imposes a complete military cordon, and begins searching and raiding houses, interrogating residents, as was the case in Al-Mughayyir village north of Ramallah. The village faced a massive incursion by the occupation forces when approximately 50 military vehicles and over 500 soldiers stormed the village on the morning of Thursday, 16/11/2023. They began conducting wide-scale raids, house invasions, and imposed a curfew. Around 50 cases of detentions were recorded at that time among the residents, including men, women, and children. Most of them were released, while two Palestinians were arrested.

The detention conditions are the worst within the occupation's prisons in many years...

(Six martyred prisoners in less than a month...)

Since the extreme right-wing government took power in the occupation state, the occupation authorities have gradually taken punitive measures on male and female prisoners inside the prisons through recent decisions related to the living conditions in prisons. Despite all the decisions and escalations, the peak of these restrictions reached its highest point with the beginning of the occupation's aggression on October 7th. The occupation authorities began suppressing prisoners in a brutal and intensive manner, resulting in dozens of injuries among the prisoners. Various forms of torture have been employed since that date, including dehydration, starvation, confiscation of basic life necessities, and keeping the bare minimum, as well as cramming dozens of detainees into small rooms, withdrawing blankets and bedding despite the onset of winter and severe cold inside the prisons.

The Israeli Prison Service (IPS) isolated a number of prisoners after suppressing and torturing them, preventing them from receiving visits and communicating with the outside world amid genuine concerns about their fate. Since the start of the occupation's aggression against the prisoners, six prisoners have been martyred inside the occupation's prisons in less than a month. The most recent martyr was Tha'er Abu Asab from the city of Qalqilya. The (IPS) deliberately refrained from disclosing any details indicating the circumstances of their martyrdom. To this day, the (IPS) conceals the name of one of the martyred detainees, only stating that the detainee is from the Gaza Strip.

The (IPS) continues to employ various methods of torture and revokes all the achievements made by the prisoners over decades of collective struggles. These achievements represent the minimum elements of human life and the most basic rights of prisoners guaranteed internationally, disregarding all agreements and laws that ensure the rights of prisoners.

Deliberate medical negligence and revenge against sick prisoners...

Dozens of prisoners inside occupation prisons suffer from varying diseases and health issues amidst deliberate medical neglect by the (IPS). These sick prisoners were denied treatment in the first week, and until today, the occupation continues to prevent sick prisoners from going to external clinics. Additionally, around 14 prisoners receiving treatment under extremely difficult conditions exist within the 'Ramleh prison clinic.' The (IPS) has reduced their food quantities and provided poor quality meals that do not suit their health conditions. They are also continuously barred from communicating with the outside world. Furthermore, there are ongoing raids within the prisons, confiscation of some electrical appliances, closure of the canteen, reduction of recreational time to 45 minutes per day, and isolation from other prisoners, preventing them from receiving assistance.

The prisoner (M.S), who suffers from a blood disease and asthma, was transferred to meet with an interrogator and was assaulted by being beaten, causing him a wound on his head and bruises near his eye. It's worth mentioning that he lost 10 kilograms in weight.

Violations against female prisoners in Damon Prison...

(Approximately 84 female prisoners in Damon Prison...)

Since October 7th and the start of the aggression, more than 101 women have been arrested as part of the ongoing arrest campaigns in the West Bank, Jerusalem, and the occupied territories 1948. Some have been released, while around 84 female prisoners remained detained as of the date of this report. It's worth mentioning that the number of female prisoners until the beginning of October was 31.

The occupation detains female prisoners in extremely difficult conditions in both Damon and Hasharon prisons in the occupied territories. Special units affiliated with the (IPS) have repeatedly raided the women's section in Damon Prison since the beginning of the events, assaulting them and isolating the prisoners' representative, Marah Bakir. One of the detainees who was arrested and later released said, "The conditions inside the prisons are tough, and the (IPS) deliberately provides very small and poor quantities of food. Often, the prisoners return the meals due to insufficient and inappropriate cooking. Additionally, there are frequent searches, and at times they have been assaulted. The (IPS) also confiscated all electrical appliances, and there is a severe shortage of blankets, especially with the onset of winter. There is significant overcrowding inside the prison.

Arbitrary administrative detention... a policy of repression and control practiced against Palestinians

(More than 2500 administrative detainees in occupation prisons)

Amid the beginning of arrest campaigns and repeated raids on Palestinian villages, cities, and camps, and the increase in the number of detainees within occupation prisons, the numbers of administrative detainees began to sharply rise. Arbitrary administrative detention targeted dozens of activists, journalists, and freed prisoners amid the ongoing aggression against Palestinians. The number of administrative detainees reached approximately 2500, most of whom were issued or had their administrative detention orders renewed after October 7th. This significant increase in administrative detention figures highlights the occupation authorities' use of arbitrary administrative detention as a means of repression and control in the occupied Palestinian territories. It serves as a policy among collective punishment.

Palestinian children are also enduring arbitrary detention, as the number of children under administrative detention reached around 26, indicating the occupation's use of administrative detention against all segments and groups of Palestinians without any fair standards.

The hostage-taking to pressure their relatives into surrendering themselves...

Since the beginning of the occupation's wide-scale aggression after October 7th, a policy of detaining some family members to pressure their sons and husbands to surrender themselves to the occupation army has emerged. This is considered part of the collective punishment policy against Palestinians and constitutes a war crime under the basic principles of the Rome Statute. Several cases have been documented of women and children being detained and arrested to pressure their relatives. One of the documented cases involved a Palestinian (M.K) from the town of Ni'lin. Large forces stormed his house on October 13th, 2023, and the occupation soldiers began questioning family members about (A.K), who was not present at the house at that moment. They filmed the mother of (A.K) and sent the video via WhatsApp to pressure him. The soldiers poured water on one of the family's children, who was not more than four years old and was sleeping. Later, the soldiers took him and his nephew in a military vehicle to a camp where they were interrogated for two hours and threatened that if (A.K) did not surrender himself to the occupation army, the entire family would be arrested. He was released later after his nephew surrendered himself hours after the arrest of his family members.

Hundreds of Gaza workers are subjected to various forms of torture and abuse by the occupation army...

Following the occupation forces aggression on the Gaza Strip, 4,000 workers have been arrested who were working inside the occupied Palestinian territories 1948 and held work permits. They were detained in a camp near Beer AlSabe’ called 'Sdeh Teiman,' in addition to another camp named 'Anatot' in the West Bank. The International Committee of the Red Cross was not allowed to visit them, and they were not presented to courts. Later on, the occupation forces released over 3,000 workers from Gaza and deported them to Gaza through Karm Abu Salem crossing. However, the fate of around 700 workers remains unknown until this moment, with no details available about them. Many of the released workers recounted harsh conditions and inhumane treatment by the occupation army during their detention, including humiliation and physical assault. The occupation had announced the deaths of two workers from Gaza as a result of beatings and the conditions of their detention.

In this context, the occupation authorities have made several amendments to laws specifically concerning detainees from the Gaza Strip. The occupation government issued temporary orders allowing the detention of what they call 'illegal residents' without presenting them to courts until their deportation to Gaza, aiming to cover up their detention without clear legal procedures. Additionally, on October 7, 2023, the occupation authorities issued new orders permitting detention for a period of 45 days, renewable for an additional 45 days. The occupation government also made an amendment to the 'Detention Law of 1996' allowing the prevention of the detainee from meeting their lawyer for up to 90 days. All of this occurs in the context of isolating detainees from the outside world entirely, leaving them vulnerable to mistreatment and torture, as a form of retaliation, falling under the category of enforced disappearance crime.Top of Form