Rights Group Warns of Skin Disease Outbreak Among Palestinians in ’Israeli’ Prison

By Staff, Agencies

The Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs Commission has warned that the outbreak of skin diseases, particularly scabies, threatens the lives of Palestinians incarcerated in "Israel's" Ofer prison.

In a statement released on Thursday, the commission expressed concerns about the rapid spread of scabies among young Palestinian abductees, saying they suffer from pimples, boils and redness of their skin that cause sleeplessness due to itching and pain.

The organization has urged the World Health Organization to address the issue of unsanitary conditions, lack of hygiene products, and inadequate access to cleaning supplies in jails.

The rights group further said 150 out of the 260 abductees in the Ofer prison, situated in the occupied West Bank, are minors.

"Young Palestinians held in the Ofer prison are subjected to additional suffering by "Israeli" forces instead of being protected due to their vulnerability," it added.

The commission has criticized the harsh conditions in jail, stating that beatings, starvation, and deprivation are causing severe damage to the mental and physical health of the inmates.

Some 9,500 Palestinians, including hundreds of children and women, are currently in "Israeli" jails—around one-third without charge or trial.

Also, an unknown number are arbitrarily being held in the entity's detention facilities following a wave of arrests in the wake of the ongoing genocidal war on Gaza.

Testimonies reveal detainees in cages, blindfolded, and diapers, deprived of healthcare, food, water, and sleep, experiencing electrocutions, dog attacks, waterboarding, suspension, and severe sexual abuse.

Last month, a group of UN experts called for swift action to end "Israel's" impunity surrounding reports of heinous rights violations against Palestinian detainees.

“Torture practices are irredeemably unlawful and constitute international crimes, yet form part of the modus operandi of "Israel’s" notorious detention and torture system,” they said.