RAMALLAH (Palestine Foundation Information Center) Palestinian female detainees held in Israel’s Damon prison were subjected to a violent and degrading assault, including forced strip searches, according to a statement issued on Wednesday by the Palestinian Prisoners’ Media Office.
The incident, which took place during daylight hours last week, involved the Israeli “Yamas” unit, which reportedly stormed the women’s cells, forcibly removed them to the bathrooms, and compelled them to undergo strip searches—a practice described as a gross violation of human dignity and international norms.
Following the assault, the detainees were transferred to the prison’s canteen room, where all food items they had gathered in preparation for the holy month of Ramadan were confiscated. The statement noted that these raids were repeated three times, with each cell being targeted individually in what was described as a campaign to intimidate and break the morale of the prisoners.
There are currently 24 female prisoners in Damon prison. The statement highlighted that daily food provisions have not been increased, despite the growing needs of the detainees, particularly during Ramadan. The food provided consists only of basic legumes, such as chickpeas, lentils, rice, and pea soup, and the women are prohibited from storing food for the pre-dawn suhoor meal, forcing many of them to rely solely on water after a long day of fasting.
The statement strongly condemned these acts, declaring them a clear breach of international and humanitarian law, and emphasized the urgent need for intervention to ensure the protection, dignity, and basic rights of the detainees. The organization called on human rights and international bodies to take immediate action, holding the Israeli authorities fully responsible for the well-being and safety of the women in detention.
