Recently, the word “detained” has frequently echoed in our ears. This term is globally defined as “the detention of a person on specific charges,” but in occupied Palestine, its definition differs drastically. Under the oppressive control of the occupying entity over this blessed land, detention becomes a routine procedure conducted without trial, based on orders issued by the area commander and relying on secret evidence and data that even the detainee himself cannot access.

This tragic situation leaves the detainee in a state of complete helplessness, facing allegations he does not know and cannot refute. This process occurs without the presentation of charges or trial, meaning that the detainee remains in a state of uncertainty regarding his fate, unaware of when he will be released.

Since October 7, 2023, with the start of the blessed operation (Al-Aqsa Flood), arrests have noticeably surged in many occupied Palestinian cities, including Gaza and West Bank. The occupying forces have adopted a systematic arrest policy targeting civilians, including children, women, activists, lawyers, lecturers, released detainees, and public figures.

In this context, the Palestinian Commission of Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs previously announced that “the detainees in Gilboa Prison are living a tragic life and an agonizing reality due to the fascist and racist policies adopted by the occupation’s prison administration in dealing with them.” The authority clarified that beatings, insults, room invasions, and department raids have become a fixed routine in the methods of the occupation’s administration with Palestinian detainees.

The authority reported a severe shortage of clothing and blankets, with no regard for weather conditions as winter approaches, alongside the spread of skin diseases, a lack of cleaning materials and disinfectants, and ongoing policies of isolation from the outside world. Communication restrictions within the rooms remain in place, and the sections continue to suffer from severe overcrowding, with detainees unable to sit or move except within the space of their mattresses.

For example, the case of detainee Marwan Barghouti exemplifies the brutality of the occupying entity in its treatment of detainees. The authority recently reported that Barghouti suffered rib fractures due to the brutal torture inflicted upon him by the suppression forces in his prison, resulting in multiple injuries to his body, in addition to back pain and bleeding from his right ear. The authority confirmed that these repressive actions clearly indicate the occupation’s intention to attempt to assassinate them, especially with the continuation of these assaults.

Regarding Ofer Prison west of Ramallah in the occupied West Bank, two Palestinian human rights organizations confirmed that Gaza prisoners live under “shocking and humiliating” conditions, as guards compete to torture them. A joint statement from the Commission of Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs and the Palestinian Prisoner’s Society noted that the latest visits to Gaza detainees at Ofer Camp reflect the tragic conditions and shocking narratives, alongside the torture and abuse endured by the detainees.

The statement added that the detainees spoke of “the humiliating practices employed by the camp administration, including forcing detainees to chant ‘thank you’ to the captain (the prison official) in Hebrew, and those who refuse are subjected to assault and punishment.” Additionally, they continue to be denied their right to medical treatment and health care, forced into humiliating sitting positions, and suffering from cold, especially at night, due to lack of clothing and blankets.

What is happening today to Palestinians through arrest and torture is not only a violation of human rights; it is a violation of every institution and organization that prides itself on human rights. While these arrests aim to break the will of our Palestinian people, yet the desire for liberation grows stronger in the hearts of our people with every arrest, and hope becomes more rooted in their souls.