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Ofer Prison Measures
Hamas warned on Saturday against what it described as a new escalation in punitive measures imposed by the administration of Israel’s Ofer Prison against Palestinian prisoners.
“The Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) called on all states and international bodies to hold Israel accountable for escalating its violations against Palestinian prisoners, warning of the consequences of the tightened measures inside Israeli prisons”
The Palestinian Prisoners’ Media Office said the administration of Ofer Prison intensified what it described as humiliating treatment of detainees, including continuous restraints, verbal abuse, and degrading treatment while being transferred within the facility.
The office also reported that authorities reduced meetings between detainees and their lawyers to only a few minutes and installed surveillance cameras inside rooms designated for meetings between detainees and their legal representatives.
Hamas stressed that the measures would not undermine prisoners’ steadfastness or their commitment to their rights, reiterating that the issue of Palestinian prisoners remains a national priority until their release.
Hamas called for intensified efforts to keep the plight of Palestinian prisoners on the international agenda and urged human rights organizations to increase pressure on Israeli authorities.
UN Report Details
A 23-page report by the United Nations Office for the High Commissioner for Human Rights said thousands of Palestinian prisoners arrested and detained by Israel as part of its war in Gaza have largely been kept in secret and, in some cases, subjected to treatment that could amount to torture.
The UN report described detainees being "generally handcuffed and blindfolded" and said testimonies described prolonged blindfolding, deprivation of food, sleep and water, electric shocks and cigarette burns.
The report said at least 53 Palestinian detainees have died in military facilities and Israeli prisons since October 7.
UN human rights chief Volker Türk said the testimonies describe horrific acts including waterboarding and releasing dogs on detainees, in "flagrant violation of international human rights law and international humanitarian law."
The UN report also said Israel has not provided information on the fate or location of many people and that the International Committee of the Red Cross was denied access to the facilities where they are detained.
Ceasefire Prisoner Release
Israel delayed the release of 602 Palestinian prisoners initially planned in exchange for six Israeli hostages released earlier in the day by Hamas, with no reason given for the delay.
“From Al-Mayadeen: The Hamas movement calls for urgent international action as more than 9,300 Palestinian prisoners suffer inhumane treatment and violations in Israeli prisons”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had sworn the day before to make Hamas pay the heavy price for its cruel violation of the ceasefire, and the first phase of the ceasefire was nearing its end with the release scheduled to end on March 1.
Hamas accused Israel of a 'flagrant violation' of the ceasefire agreement after the announcement, while Netanyahu promised to act 'with firmness' to bring all the hostages back to Israel.
In southern Gaza, an 80-year-old woman, Oumm Diya al-Agha, told AFP, "I still can’t believe that my son will be free after 33 years" in detention.
The article said the sixth hostage, Hicham al-Sayed, 37, was handed over to the ICRC away from the cameras, and that of the 251 hostages abducted on October 7, 2023, 62 remain held in Gaza, of whom 35 are dead, according to the Israeli army.
