Hamas, Islamic Jihad Condemn “Israeli” Raid on Palestinian Prisoners at Ofer

By Staff, Agencies

Hamas and Islamic Jihad have strongly condemned a raid by special “Israeli” prison units on a section of Ofer Prison, west of Ramallah in the occupied West Bank, denouncing the assault on Palestinian detainees as a criminal act reflecting the “Israeli” entity’s brutal nature.

Hamas described the attack as part of “Israel’s” ongoing oppression of Palestinian prisoners, labeling it a failed attempt to restore the Zionist entity’s diminishing prestige. The movement called for international exposure of “Israeli” inhumane acts against Palestinian detainees.

Islamic Jihad also denounced the attack, describing it as evidence of the “vicious nature” of the occupying regime. The group highlighted the entity’s ongoing harassment and assaults on prisoners, portraying it as a sign of moral decline and desperation. The movement emphasized that the steadfastness of the Palestinian nation forced “Israel” into a captives-for-prisoners swap deal, shattering its perceived invincibility.

The Hamas-run Prisoners’ Media Office reported that during the raid on Ofer Prison, Palestinian prisoners were beaten and sprayed with gas. However, details about possible injuries were not immediately available.

Meanwhile, the Palestinian Commission of Detainees’ and Ex-Detainees’ Affairs revealed that 13 female Palestinian prisoners at Damon Prison are facing increasingly harsh conditions. The women are reportedly kept in cold cells with open windows and limited clothing and blankets amidst frigid temperatures. They are also subjected to maltreatment, including being shackled, blindfolded, and dragged when taken to the infirmary or to see lawyers.

The commission noted that female detainees are frequently and unexpectedly transferred between cells to deprive them of any sense of stability. Additionally, prison guards reportedly enter their cells at night, forcing the women to sleep with headscarves for protection.

Palestinian inmates in “Israeli” jails are kept under harsh conditions, lacking proper hygienic standards and facing systematic torture, harassment, and repression. Human rights organizations assert that “Israel” continues to violate prisoners' rights under the Fourth Geneva Convention and international law.

According to the Palestine Detainees Studies Center, approximately 60 percent of Palestinian prisoners in “Israeli” jails suffer from chronic diseases, with some dying in detention or shortly after release due to the severity of their conditions. In response to their illegal detention, Palestinian detainees frequently resort to open-ended hunger strikes as a form of protest.