Gaza, 5 September 2024 — As the genocide in Gaza continues, the Israeli authorities’ relentless violations against Palestinian detainees taken from Gaza are escalating. Starting on 25 August 2024, the Israeli Prison Service (IPS) launched a three-day campaign of unrestrained violence against Palestinian detainees in Section 23 of Ofer Prison after discovering they had copies of the Quran. When the detainees refused to surrender the holy books, special Israeli units were deployed to violently assault them with batons, fists, and attack dogs, while subjecting them to degrading verbal abuse. The brutal assault led to seven Palestinian detainees sustaining head and back injuries. They were left bleeding without receiving any medical treatment or being transferred to a medical facility.

Al Mezan views these violations as a clear breach of the right to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion, as outlined in Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). Rule 66 of the UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (the Nelson Mandela Rules) guarantees prisoners access to religious practices and materials, mandating that “[s]o far as practicable, every prisoner shall be allowed to satisfy the needs of his or her religious life by attending the services provided in the prison and having in his or her possession the books of religious observance and instruction of his or her denomination.” The conduct adopted by the Israeli authorities also violates Article 93 of the Fourth Geneva Convention, which ensures detainees can freely practice their religion, and constitutes grave breaches under Article 147 of the Fourth Geneva Convention due to the violent assaults on detainees.

In response to this three-day assault and the ongoing daily violations they face while in Israeli custody—including various forms of physical and psychological torture, inhumane living conditions, and denial of basic fair trial guarantees—Palestinian detainees have informed Al Mezan's lawyer of their decision to commence an open-ended hunger strike and to boycott court sessions as a protest against the Israeli breaches of their rights under international law.

Al Mezan strongly condemns the Israeli brutal practices against Palestinian detainees in Ofer Prison and other prisons and military-run detention centers, where Palestinians are held in inhumane conditions and subjected to torture and ill-treatment. Al Mezan also underscores that Israel's continued violations and heinous crimes persist largely because the international community fails to hold Israel accountable and bring those responsible to justice. This lack of accountability is likely to worsen the situation for Palestinian prisoners and detainees, as the violations become more systematic and organized, further endangering their lives and already leading to several ‘deaths’.

Finally, we renew our call for the international community to fulfill its legal and moral obligations towards the Palestinian people by taking immediate action to halt Israel's genocidal military campaign in Gaza and address the grave violations of international law perpetrated by Israeli authorities and military forces in prisons and detention centers. We urge international accountability mechanisms to act swiftly and effectively to hold those responsible for international crimes accountable. It is essential that these mechanisms not only bring perpetrators to justice but also provide reparations to the victims. Immediate and decisive action is necessary to uphold the rule of law, restore the rights of those affected, and prevent further violations.