Palestinian captives in Israeli prison face 'health disaster', advocacy group warns
The Palestinian Prisoners Society (PPS) has reported the spread of contagious diseases at the notorious Megiddo Prison in northern Israel and warned of a "health disaster" there.
The advocacy group said it had documented reports from detainees of outbreaks of scabies and other contagious diseases.
Scabies is caused by mites, which burrow under the skin and lay eggs, which causes rashes, irritation and further complications.
PPS stated that most of the detainees "suffer from health problems and face difficult and tragic detention conditions".
It accused Israeli prison authorities of denying detainees "necessary resources that could help limit the spread of the disease", including nutritious food, clothing, personal hygiene items and adequate exposure to light and ventilation.
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The group added that the spread of disease encouraged by these conditions will inevitably lead to more deaths.
It highlighted that the conditions place hundreds of child detainees at risk, citing the death of 17-year-old Walid Khaled Abdullah Ahmed at the prison, which the group reported on Monday, without being able to confirm the circumstances of his death.
Ahmed's death brought the total number of detainees who have died in Israeli custody since October 2023 to 63, according to the PPS.
'Result of neglect'
The Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported in November that a quarter of Palestinians held in Israeli custody had been infected with scabies over the preceding months.
Palestinians held by Israel say that their treatment is deliberate rather than the result of neglect.
One prisoner quoted by Haaretz said: "When we asked for treatment, they told us that we are terrorists and must die."
Megiddo Prison has long been known for its brutal treatment of Palestinian detainees.
According to Haaretz, inmates there have been subjected to electric shocks, dog attacks and severe beatings.
Some were stripped naked, bound hand and foot for days, and denied food and blankets, with several hospitalised due to the abuse.
A 2024 report by the Commission of Detainees' and Ex-Detainees' Affairs further detailed the horrors inside Megiddo, documenting systematic torture, medical neglect, sexual violence and routine beatings.
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