Shocking testimonies: Sexual violence, torture emerge as systemic policy in Israeli occupation prisons

OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN, Dec. 21 (YPA) – Documented testimonies from released Palestinian detainees and international human rights reports have revealed a harrowing escalation of crimes within Israeli occupation detention centers.

These accounts confirmed that physical and psychological torture, including sexual violence, has been transformed into a systematic tool of repression operating under political and security protection.

Palestinian journalist Sami al-Saee and other former detainees told Middle East Eye that violations are carried out in an organized manner. They noted that guards act with total confidence, indicating an official policy of impunity rather than isolated incidents.

Testimonies detailed systematic assaults during nightly cell raids, accompanied by starvation, deliberate medical negligence, and humiliating searches. The Israeli human rights organization B’Tselem has described the prison system as a “network of torture camps.”

Human rights data indicates that Israeli occupation forces have detained over 20,000 Palestinians since October 2023. At least 110 detainees have died in custody due to torture and medical neglect, while thousands remain held, including women and children.

UN-affiliated committees have accused the occupation of using sexual violence as a “tactic of war.” The Prisoners’ Information Office emphasized that the consistency and scale of these methods classify them as war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Advocates warn that the actual scale of these crimes is likely far greater, as social stigma and trauma prevent many victims from speaking out. Human rights organizations are calling for an independent international investigation to hold Israeli leadership accountable, asserting that international silence serves as a cover for continued violations.

YPA