16/4/2026

On the Occasion of Palestinian Prisoners’ Day

Al-Dameer: The Israeli Occupation Employs All Forms of Torture Against Palestinian Prisoners and Detainees with the Aim of Killing Them

Al-Dameer Association for Human Rights – Gaza marks tomorrow, Friday, 17 April, as Palestinian Prisoners’ Day. This occasion comes amid the continued adoption by Israeli occupation forces of systematic policies of torture and cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment against Palestinian prisoners and detainees, in flagrant violation of all legal and humanitarian norms. These practices include severe and repeated beatings, the deliberate denial of medical care, malnutrition, and the imposition of harsh detention conditions that exacerbate illnesses and contribute to the spread of epidemics among detainees, posing a serious threat to their lives.

Al-Dameer has documented, through live testimonies and verified affidavits from detainees still held in Israeli prisons or recently released, multiple patterns and forms of grave and systematic violations amounting to war crimes and crimes against humanity committed against prisoners and detainees.

In the same context, efforts to enact what is referred to as the “Death Penalty for Prisoners Law” constitute a highly dangerous escalation aimed at legalizing the killing of prisoners and detainees, in blatant violation of the principles of international humanitarian law and human rights standards, particularly the provisions of the Fourth Geneva Convention.

These policies and practices represent a clear abdication of the occupying power’s obligations under international law, a challenge to the will of the international community, and a serious undermining of the international human rights system and its fundamental principles.

According to statistics from organizations concerned with prisoners’ affairs, the number of prisoners and detainees in Israeli prisons has exceeded 9,600, including 75 female prisoners and 350 children, most of whom are held in Megiddo and Ofer prisons. The number of administrative detainees has reached 3,442—representing the highest proportion among all categories—alongside 1,250 detainees classified as “unlawful combatants.” It should be noted that these figures do not include all detainees from the Gaza Strip held in military camps التابعة لجيش الاحتلال.

On this occasion, Al-Dameer Association for Human Rights expresses its full solidarity with Palestinian prisoners and detainees and reaffirms its support for their just demands for freedom and release. The organization further affirms its continued efforts to advocate for their cause at the international, regional, and local levels by activating international protection mechanisms and submitting urgent appeals to UN Special Rapporteurs, particularly those concerned with the right to life, torture, and arbitrary detention. It also continues to engage with UN agencies, parliaments, and international organizations to urge them to assume their legal and moral responsibilities toward the plight of prisoners.

Accordingly, Al-Dameer Association for Human Rights calls for:

• High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention to fulfill their legal obligations and take effective measures to ensure the protection of Palestinian prisoners and detainees.
• The International Criminal Court to immediately initiate serious investigations into crimes committed against Palestinian detainees, foremost among them policies of killing, medical neglect, and discriminatory legislation.
• The International Committee of the Red Cross to uphold its humanitarian mandate by intensifying visits to places of detention and ensuring the provision of necessary medical and health care for detainees.
• International bodies, NGOs, human rights defenders, and people of conscience worldwide to escalate solidarity efforts with prisoners, exert pressure on their governments to take concrete positions, and expand advocacy activities in front of embassies and UN headquarters, in order to compel the occupying power to comply with international law and guarantee the rights of prisoners and detainees.

Al-Dameer Association for Human Rights – Gaza