Ankara: A Palestinian lawyer has exposed shocking testimonies of sexual torture, rape, and systematic abuse of Gaza detainees in Israeli prisons, warning that Israel is using such practices to intimidate Palestinians and defy international law.
According to Anadolu Agency, Khaled Mahajna, a lawyer with the Palestinian Authority's Commission of Detainees' Affairs, detailed one of the most disturbing cases involving an Israeli female jailer who allegedly stripped a Palestinian prisoner in his 30s in a prison courtyard and raped him while mocking him, despite his hands being shackled. Mahajna described the episode as worse than the infamous Abu Ghraib scandal in Iraq in 2004 during the US invasion.
Mahajna revealed that since the Gaza war began in October 2023, Israel has reopened underground detention centers, including the notorious Rakefet facility at Ayalon Prison in Ramla, central Israel. The facility was originally built in 1948 but deemed uninhabitable and later shut down. He described inhuman conditions where cells meant for six people were crammed with 25 detainees, with no sunlight, insufficient food, and prisoners forced to sleep on the floor without blankets.
He stressed that lawyers only managed to secure extremely limited visits after months of legal battles. Mahajna explained that every visit is a battle, with both the lawyer and the prisoner surrounded by jailers, and detainees terrified of revealing what happens to them for fear of further torture.
According to Mahajna, the abuse is not aimed at extracting information but serves as collective punishment. He cited testimonies of female prisoners from Gaza describing rape, sexual assault, and coercion, as well as cases of men subjected to sexual torture. Mahajna recounted a case where an elderly prisoner from Gaza was tied, stripped, and assaulted with a stick inserted into his body, with the incident being filmed and shared among jailers.
Mahajna argued that Israel's use of rape and torture sends two messages: a challenge to the world by showing indifference to human rights groups or international courts, and intimidation to Palestinians, suggesting that anyone who resists will face unimaginable torture. He noted the aggressive enforcement of the 'Unlawful Combatant Law' since October 2023, allowing indefinite detention of Gazans, as well as Lebanese and Syrians, without charges.
Despite systematic obstruction in Israeli courts, Mahajna stated that his team continues filing complaints and appeals. He highlighted the denial of basic rights, such as detainees not being allowed to change their underwear for months. Mahajna confirmed that Israel fears potential civil lawsuits in international courts, especially from released prisoners who suffered sexual violence and torture.
In conclusion, Mahajna issued a stark warning, echoing the pleas of the detainees: 'Every prisoner I meet tells me the same thing, save us from these death camps.' Since the start of the war, over 10,000 Palestinians have been detained without trial or charge under Israel's administrative detention policy, including 500 children. On Monday, Israeli rights groups B'Tselem and Physicians for Human Rights-Israel (PHRI) accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza, citing the systematic destruction of Palestinian society and the deliberate dismantling of the territory's healthcare system.