Prisoner Affairs Authority Reports Deteriorating Health of Pregnant Detainee, Sick Prisoner
The Commission of Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs reported on Wednesday that a pregnant detainee, Baraa Abu Khadija, 36, from Tulkarm, and a sick prisoner, Ziad Malki, 20, from Jalazone refugee camp near Ramallah, are facing severe health and humanitarian conditions in Israeli prisons. The commission's reports were compiled after lawyers visited the two detainees.
Abu Khadija, detained since August 27, 2026, and held in Damon prison, has experienced difficult health, humanitarian, and psychological conditions. According to the commission, she was subjected to harsh binding and strip searches upon her arrest before being taken to an unknown location. She reported being handcuffed to a chair for hours amidst verbal abuse from soldiers, experiencing abdominal pain and bleeding, raising concerns for her fetus. She was then transferred to Sharon prison, where she spent five days in what she described as harsh conditions, including a dirty cell with insects and garbage, insufficient drinking water, and lack of bathing facilities and clean clothes.
Abu Khadija was subjected to another strip search after her transfer back to Damon prison and is currently held in a room designated for pregnant detainees. The commission stated that the food provided to pregnant detainees is insufficient and of poor quality, with the three pregnant women in her room receiving only an egg or a piece of meat approximately every three to four days. Her lawyer also noted a shortage of clothing and cleaning supplies amidst high temperatures and humidity. Abu Khadija is reportedly in a state of constant anxiety over her fetus's health and need for medical care and proper nutrition during pregnancy.
In a separate case, Ziad Malki, detained since February 11, 2026, and held in Ofer prison, has been suffering from scabies for about seven months, along with boils and severe itching that prevents him from sleeping. His health is reportedly deteriorating due to a lack of necessary treatment. This is Malki's third arrest, and his next court hearing is scheduled for October 7, 2026.
The Commission of Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs called on international and human rights organizations to intervene urgently to ensure adequate medical care for sick prisoners, especially those requiring continuous monitoring, and to provide special care for pregnant detainees.
