Gaza Researcher Details Prisoner Abuse and Israeli Execution Law
Translated & summarized from Arab48 by baba
Gaza researcher Ilham Al-Shami described the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza, with displaced populations facing severe shortages and harsh winter conditions exacerbated by Israeli restrictions on aid. She also detailed the Israeli execution law for prisoners, calling it a political tool for revenge and a means to break Palestinian resistance. Al-Shami noted the escalation of measures against prisoners since October 7, 2023, and the harsh conditions within Israeli jails, including starvation and alleged abuses.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Gaza researcher Ilham Al-Shami detailed the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, marked by displacement and aid restrictions.
- She described the Israeli execution law for prisoners as a political tool for revenge and to break resistance.
- Al-Shami noted escalating measures against Palestinian prisoners since October 7, 2023.
- She highlighted severe conditions in Israeli jails, including starvation and alleged abuses.
- Nearly one million Palestinians have been detained by Israel since 1967.
- Israeli authorities reportedly limit Gaza's goods imports to a small group of traders.
Gaza-based researcher Dr. Ilham Al-Shami has detailed the dire conditions faced by Palestinians in Gaza and the escalating measures against Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails. In an interview with "Arab 48," Al-Shami described the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, exacerbated by early winter rains flooding the tents of over a million displaced people. She highlighted the severe shortages of basic necessities due to Israeli control over humanitarian files and the closure of crossings, noting that international aid is increasingly insufficient and costly.
Al-Shami criticized the Palestinian political and factional leadership for its weak response to the humanitarian crisis, and international institutions for their inability to operate effectively due to Israeli restrictions. She also pointed to corruption within some aid organizations and the emergence of "war profiteers" who, in coordination with Israeli authorities, control the market. Israel reportedly limits the import of goods to a small group of 8-10 traders, contributing to a policy of impoverishment and starvation.
The researcher also discussed the Israeli law to execute prisoners, which she views as a political tool for revenge rather than a judicial measure. She explained that the law, initially proposed in 2018 by Itamar Ben-Gvir's party, aims to break the resistance of Palestinian prisoners. This follows a series of measures, including the 2015 law on forced feeding and the 2017 law preventing visits for prisoners held by groups detaining Israelis, such as Hamas after the capture of soldier Gilead Shalit.
Al-Shami noted that the escalation of measures against prisoners intensified after October 7, 2023, under the current Israeli government, with Ben-Gvir, now minister responsible for prisons, personally driving a vengeful agenda. This strategy aims to eliminate prisoner exchange deals by ending life sentences, thereby removing a key incentive for Palestinian groups to capture Israelis. She stated that Israel has conducted 40 prisoner exchange deals since 1967.
Furthermore, Al-Shami highlighted that since 1967, nearly one million Palestinians have been detained, representing about 20% of the Palestinian population in the West Bank and Gaza. The execution law may also serve to alleviate overcrowding in Israeli prisons. She also mentioned the establishment of a special military court for "elite prisoners" and the detention of 9,800 Palestinian prisoners, including 400-1000 designated as "illegal combatants" held without trial. Many families remain unaware of their relatives' whereabouts or status, with some cases involving enforced disappearances. Al-Shami also described severe detention conditions, including starvation, beatings, deliberate medical neglect, and alleged abuses against women at checkpoints.