Illness, Hunger, and Medical Neglect Devastate Palestinian Detainees in Israeli Jails

May 6, 2025

The harsh reality faced by sick Palestinian detainees in Israeli detention continues to deteriorate, as the occupation authorities intensify their policy of punishment through deliberate medical neglect.

The systematic denial of healthcare, especially for elderly and ill detainees, adds unbearable physical and psychological suffering. Israeli prisons have become virtual coffins, those who enter are lost, and those who survive are reborn.

In a report published today, the Commission of Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs highlighted several alarming health cases among detainees:

. Hussein Abu Kweik, 68, from Ramallah, is a father of seven and was arrested on November 15, 2023. Currently held in Section 24 of the Negev prison under administrative detention, he has spent a total of 17 years in Israeli jails. He has lost over 60 kilograms and suffers from severe joint and knee inflammation without receiving any treatment, despite repeated pleas. He also has untreated scabies. Abu Kweik is a survivor of an assassination attempt during the Second Intifada, when his car was bombed, killing his wife, son, and two daughters.

. Thaer Ouda, 40, from Balata Refugee Camp, has been detained since September 25, 2024, and is currently in Section 8 of the Negev Prison. He was infected with scabies and only received minimal care when the condition became severe. Symptoms remain visible on his hands. He describes conditions in the prison as degrading, with frequent insults and no improvement in detention conditions.

. Riyad Swafteh, 22, from Tubas, has been held under administrative detention in the Negev Prison since May 10, 2023. He has suffered from scabies for around eight months without any medical intervention.

. Raed Adel Wadie Ratrout, 39, from Nablus, has served 18 years of a 27-year sentence and is held in Section 21 of the Negev Prison. He is experiencing serious dental issues but has been denied treatment. He also notes that both the quality and quantity of food remain poor.

. Yahya Jamil Al-Khatib, 36, from Beit Rima/ Ramallah, was arrested on February 22, 2024, and has had his administrative detention extended four times. He shares a cell with two prisoners suffering from scabies, yet none of them have received treatment.He reported harsh sanitary conditions and lack of access to showers.

. Sohaib Said Mohammad Kabha, 30, from Ya’bad/ Jenin, suffers from ongoing headaches and blurred vision in his left eye due to a head injury caused by beating from prison guards. A month ago, he also contracted the new "amoeba" virus, resulting in a weight loss of over 50 kilograms. Kabha was arrested on November 22, 2023, and is serving an 18-month administrative sentence.

. Mahmoud Mohammad Allan, 32, from Anata, Jerusalem, suffers from spinal pain and a serious injury to his right hand following a violent assault by prison guards in March 2024 while in Ramleh Prison.
Despite multiple requests for treatment, he has received none. He is currently held in the Negev Prison and was sentenced to four years after his arrest on November 27, 2022.

. Mohammad Maher Sarsour, 23, from Beitunia near Ramallah, sustained severe bruises across his body after being brutally beaten by guards about a week ago. He reported that “all detainees in Section 28 of the Negev are infected with the amoeba virus, and are suffering from continuous diarrhea and vomiting.”
Sarsour has been detained since May 26, 2024, under administrative detention. His detention has been extended twice, and he is expected to be released on May 22, 2025.