OIC Demands Urgent Investigation into ’Israeli’ Abuses of Palestinian Detainees

By Staff, Agencies

The Organization of Islamic Cooperation [OIC] has called for an urgent investigation into the abuse of Palestinian prisoners by the "Israeli" entity.

This call comes amid harrowing testimonies from released Palestinians and a new UN report detailing severe ill-treatment, including dire physical conditions and torture.

In a statement, the 57-member organization expressed “deep concern regarding the increased violent acts and severe violations committed by the occupying 'Israeli' entity against numerous Palestinian prisoners.”

“These violations have been well-documented by various legal entities and include acts such as execution, torture, starvation, rape, isolation and forced disappearance,” the statement added.

The organization highlighted that such violations have resulted in the deaths of 18 Gazan prisoners in "Israeli" detention centers since the outbreak of the Gaza war on October 7 last year.

The OIC also denounced the “ongoing indiscriminate detention drives carried out by 'Israeli' authorities.” It noted that these actions have led to a significant increase in the number of Palestinian detainees, now exceeding 9,700 individuals.

Among them are 80 female detainees, 52 journalists, and over 250 children, in addition to more than 3,380 individuals held in administrative detention without formal charges or trial. Nearly 600 detainees are serving life sentences.

The OIC called for an immediate international inquiry into the “cruel conditions and continuous 'Israeli' infringements against Palestinian detainees in 'Israeli' prisons.”

The "Israeli" military is believed to have detained thousands of Palestinians, including women, children, and medics, ever since it started its devastating ground and aerial offensives against Gaza. Those released have shown signs of torture.

CNN and the New York Times are among the American media outlets that have reported on the abuse of Palestinians in "Israeli" detention since the bombing of Gaza began.

Palestinian detainees have continuously resorted to open-ended hunger strikes to protest their illegal detention.

The apartheid "Israeli" entity keeps Palestinian detainees under deplorable conditions without proper hygienic standards. Palestinian inmates have also been subject to systematic torture, harassment, and repression.

Human rights organizations say "Israel" continues to violate all rights and freedoms granted to prisoners by the Fourth Geneva Convention and international laws.

According to the Palestine Detainees Studies Center, around 60 percent of the Palestinian detainees detained in "Israeli" jails suffer from chronic diseases, some of whom have died in detention or after being released due to the severity of their cases.