New Visits to Gaza Detainees in Ofer Camp Reveal Ongoing Atrocities

November 17, 2024

The Palestinian Prisoners Affairs Authority and the Palestinian Prisoner Society report a significant increase in the number of detainees from Gaza amid the ongoing war and mass arrests in northern Gaza. According to the occupation’s recent statements, over 1,000 arrests have been made in northern Gaza.

The two organizations highlighted that the exact number of detainees from Gaza held in Israeli prisons and camps remains unclear due to the enforced disappearances carried out by the occupation. The latest figures from Israeli prison authorities as of November 2024 show 1,627 detainees from Gaza classified as "illegal combatants." However, this does not include all Gaza detainees, especially those held in military camps.

Disturbing Testimonies from Ofer Camp

Recent visits by legal teams to 15 detainees in Ofer Camp revealed widespread torture, including physical and psychological abuse, medical neglect, starvation, and sexual violence.

One alarming method of torture involves the "cell door slot" punishment. Detainees are forced to extend their arms through the slot, and guards beat their hands with tools, twisting and inflicting severe pain. This practice has become a daily routine, affecting all detainees, including minors, elderly individuals, disabled persons, and those with severe injuries.

One detainee with amputated legs recounted being forced by cellmates to lift himself to the cell door slot, only to have his hands beaten because he couldn’t comply with security checks due to his disability. Despite his condition, camp authorities require him to lie on the floor four times daily during mandatory roll calls, exacerbating his suffering.

Detainee Conditions and Systematic Abuse

• 24/7 Shackling: Detainees have been shackled continuously for over 10 months.
• Isolation from Time Awareness: Detainees are deprived of knowing the time.
• Hygiene Restrictions: They are allowed to bathe once every 10 days, with each shower limited to three minutes. Basic hygiene items such as tissues and soap are prohibited.
• Roll Call as Torture: Roll calls, conducted four times daily from dawn to midnight, require detainees to lie on their stomachs for up to two hours each time. Non-compliance results in severe physical punishment.

One detainee described being kept in a metal cage for court transfers, forced to sit in painful positions such as kneeling or lying on their stomach for hours.

Key Findings on Gaza Detainee Abuses:

• The exact number of Gaza detainees remains unknown due to enforced disappearances, with estimates in the thousands.
• Detainees’ testimonies expose unprecedented levels of torture, including starvation, medical neglect, systematic violence, and sexual abuse.
• Sde Teiman Camp has become a notorious site for extreme abuse, including medical crimes and sexual assaults, though similar treatment has been reported in other facilities, such as the Negev and Ofer prisons.
• The occupation has carried out mass arrests targeting hundreds in northern Gaza, including medical personnel, with no updates on their fate.

The systematic abuse of Gaza detainees underscores the occupation’s escalating brutality and disregard for basic human rights, warranting urgent international attention and action.