Israel Accused of Turning Prisons into ‘Torture Grounds’ with New Weapons

Jerusalem, MINA – A Palestinian prisoner advocacy group has accused Israel of turning its prisons into “torture grounds” by introducing new types of weapons for use against detainees, including stun guns and advanced rubber bullets, Anadolu Agency reported.

Abdullah al-Zaghari, head of the Palestinian Prisoner Society, stated that the Israel Prison Service is now equipping its personnel with these weapons as part of an intensifying campaign of repression.

“These measures amount to violations of international law and human rights standards,” al-Zaghari said, adding that the new weapons are reportedly being used during raids inside prison wards. He also accused Israel of using Palestinian prisoners as a “testing ground” for these weapons.

Since the beginning of Israel’s war on Gaza on October 7, 2023, over 19,000 Palestinians have been arrested in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem. Among those detained are at least 585 women and 1,550 children. According to the group, 77 detainees have died in Israeli custody since the start of the conflict, including 46 from Gaza.

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The Palestinian resistance group Hamas condemned the Israeli decision, calling it a “dangerous and systematic escalation” and describing the use of new weapons in prisons as a form of “slow execution.” In a statement, Hamas warned that the policy reflects a “fascist, retaliatory” approach intended to cause physical and psychological harm to defenseless detainees.

Hamas also urged international human rights bodies to take immediate action, holding Israel fully responsible for the lives and safety of Palestinian prisoners.

Rights organizations have long criticized Israel for its treatment of Palestinian detainees, citing widespread reports of abuse, including starvation, denial of medical care, and systematic mistreatment.

The Palestinian Health Ministry reported that since October 2023, at least 1,018 Palestinians have been killed and more than 7,000 injured in the occupied West Bank by Israeli forces and settlers.

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In July, the International Court of Justice issued a landmark opinion declaring Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territory illegal, and called for the evacuation of all settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. []

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)

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