Ramallah: The Palestinian Prisoners and Ex-Prisoners Affairs Commission has brought attention to the severe conditions faced by Palestinian female prisoners in Damon Prison, highlighting issues such as overcrowding, medical neglect, and deprivation of basic rights.
According to Palestine News and Information Agency - WAFA, the Commission issued a press statement detailing observations made by its lawyers during a recent visit to the prison. They reported that Damon Prison houses 87 Palestinian female prisoners, including three from the Gaza Strip, with a significant portion being administrative detainees.
The Commission highlighted that many of the women suffer from serious health conditions that require urgent and specialized medical care. However, there is a persistent lack of adequate medical treatment, which the Commission attributes to a policy of deliberate medical neglect by the prison administration.
Particularly concerning are the conditions faced by pregnant prisoners, who endure harsh humanitarian and health challenges without the necessary medical support and basic needs to ensure their well-being and that of their unborn children.
In terms of living conditions, the report states that the cells are overcrowded, with large cells holding more than ten women and smaller cells accommodating at least five, despite inadequate space, high temperatures, and poor ventilation.
The Commission also noted that the women are permitted only one hour per day outside their cells for recreation and showering. They face issues such as poor-quality food and significant shortages of clothing, personal items, and essential hygiene products.
The Commission has called on international and local human rights and women's rights organizations to urgently intervene and pressure the occupation authorities to halt the violations against female prisoners, aiming to end the practices of isolation, abuse, and medical neglect in Israeli prisons.