Quds News Network:29/12/2024
The Commission of Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs confirmed that Palestinian prisoners held in "Mansha" prison live under catastrophic daily conditions, enduring harsh and painful circumstances around the clock, posing significant risks to their health and lives.
The commission stated in a statement that "Mansha" prison is newly established and is among the prisons and camps opened or reopened after the start of the Israeli genocide against the Palestinian people on October 7, 2023, during which Israeli occupation authorities disregarded all international laws and norms.
The commission noted that the prison consists of 10 rooms, two of which are for criminal detainees, with 15–17 prisoners held in each room. It explained that the beds, as in other prisons, are bunk-style, with each prisoner provided a very thin mattress that fails to insulate against the cold metal, causing sleeplessness and pain due to the hardness of the material.
The commission revealed that detainees in this prison are deprived of hot water, with some prisoners unable to bathe or shower for over a month. Additionally, medical neglect and malpractice make sick prisoners easy prey to diseases and constant suffering. Meals are limited to small portions of yogurt and jam.
The commission emphasized that the most pressing issue for prisoners in "Mansha" is the severe cold. Each room has four windows allowing rainwater and continuous drafts to enter. Blankets are thin and worn out, winter clothing is unavailable, and prisoners requesting such items are punished. Most prisoners lack socks as well.
The Israeli prison administration admitted that the number of Palestinian prisoners has exceeded 10,300, with hundreds from Gaza held without charges under the policy of enforced disappearance in occupation-run camps. Among the detainees are 90 Palestinian women, at least 345 children, and 3,428 administrative detainees.
On Sunday, Palestinian detainee Ashraf Mohammed Fakhri Abdul Abu Warda, 51, from Gaza, died at Soroka Hospital in the occupied interior. The Commission of Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs and the Palestinian Prisoners Club stated that they learned of Abu Warda's death after he was transferred from one of the Negev prisons to Soroka Hospital on December 27, 2023. Abu Warda had been detained since November 20, 2023, and, according to his family, had no prior health issues.
With Abu Warda's death, the number of prisoners who have died during the genocide has risen to 50. The commission noted that this is the highest death toll in the history of the Palestinian prisoners' movement since 1967.
With the intensification of mass arrests during the Israeli genocide in Gaza, the occupation authorities established detention camps, imprisoning thousands of Palestinian detainees from Gaza.
The "Sidi Taiman" camp was the first of these detention facilities to come to light after soldiers committed horrific crimes against Palestinian prisoners there.
The camp, located in the south of occupied Palestine near Be'er Sheva, was originally a military base for the Israeli army, housing Base 392 and the "HaEshal" police unit, as well as a headquarters for the "Golani" Brigade. Following the genocide, detention sections were established in the camp, holding thousands of Gaza prisoners who have suffered numerous violations, first reported in December 2023. Reports, including those from Haaretz, documented cases of torture in the camp, followed by additional media and human rights reports in 2024, which revealed the deaths of dozens of prisoners.
The "Mansha" camp, meanwhile, is located in the northern West Bank near the "Salem" camp and is administratively under the Israeli army. It was established as a detention and interrogation center, now holding over 100 Palestinian prisoners.
In an exclusive interview with Quds News Network, a recently released prisoner from Megiddo Prison in northern occupied Palestine said that winter significantly worsens the suffering of prisoners due to ongoing repressive measures for over 14 months.
He revealed that the occupation authorities confiscate the clothing and shoes of new detainees, providing them with light clothing unsuitable for the cold weather. Blankets and mattresses are scarce, in poor condition, and worn out.
Regarding winter illnesses, the former prisoner noted that infections spread rapidly among detainees, who are denied treatment and painkillers. Prisoners requesting medication are subjected to beatings and abuse by prison guards.