GAZA, (PIC)
In a harrowing testimony that captures the brutal reality of daily life inside Israeli prisons, political writer and former Palestinian prisoner Hilal Nassar, released as part of the Al-Aqsa Flood prisoner exchange, paints a stark portrait of the conditions endured by Palestinian detainees. According to Nassar, the period following October 2023 marked a decisive and violent turning point in how prisoners are treated a moment when, as he describes it, “the prisons were turned upside down,” and repressive measures escalated to levels unseen in years.
Speaking to the PIC correspondent, Nassar said Israeli prison authorities implemented systematic policies aimed at dismantling the Palestinian prisoners’ national movement, the organizational structure through which detainees historically maintained internal coordination, collective representation, and limited communal activities. These measures unfolded alongside sweeping collective punishments affecting nearly every aspect of daily life, from the solitary confinement of prisoner leaders to the restriction of even the most basic human rights.
A prisoner’s day
Nassar describes the routine of imprisonment as “beyond description.” The day begins before dawn to the sound of guards shouting orders and continues until nightfall under relentless physical and psychological exhaustion.
According to his account, prisoners are forced to remain seated for long hours in physically punishing positions while subjected to severe restrictions on movement. Even using the bathroom becomes what he calls “a journey of torment,” permitted only once per day and under harsh conditions.
Layers of control
The suffering, he explains, extends far beyond physical confinement. Religious practices have been heavily curtailed, forcing prisoners to pray secretly or perform prayers through silent gestures. Any visible act of worship, even moving one’s lips in prayer or remembrance risks punishment.
Overcrowding, Nassar says, has become a deliberate instrument of pressure. Large numbers of detainees are crammed into cells designed for far fewer people, a strategy he believes aims to provoke internal tensions among prisoners themselves.
Yet, according to his testimony, this policy ultimately failed. Instead of division, it strengthened solidarity and collective resilience among detainees.
Denial of basic needs
Conditions surrounding basic necessities, Nassar asserts, amount to systematic deprivation. The food provided, he says, is “unfit for human consumption” in both quality and quantity, leaving prisoners in a constant state of hunger and malnutrition.
Water shortages compound the crisis, while sick prisoners are denied medication. Blankets and clothing, particularly during winter, are confiscated, further worsening already fragile health conditions.
While detention conditions vary slightly from one prison to another, Nassar insists that all facilities operate under what he calls a unified “policy of repression.”
Inside Israeli prisons
He describes Ofer Prison as among the harshest facilities in terms of treatment. Nafha Prison, though somewhat less severe administratively, still imposes harsh punitive measures, while Negev Prison is comparatively less brutal despite notoriously poor food conditions.
Surveillance systems dominate prison life. Facilities operate under constant camera monitoring and frequent inspection rounds occurring roughly every thirty minutes. Surprise raids by special units, sometimes accompanied by dogs and tear gas, further reinforce a climate of intimidation.
Sde Teiman: “Hell on Earth”
Nassar dedicates significant attention to Sde Teiman detention camp, which he describes simply as “hell.” Palestinian detainees from Gaza, he says, are held under exceptionally severe conditions, including continuous shackling, blindfolding, and deprivation of basic rights such as adequate food or access to sanitation.
Prisoners there, he states, “are treated as numbers rather than names,” confined in an environment stripped of any trace of humanity.
Medical neglect as policy
Nassar concludes his testimony by highlighting what he characterizes as deliberate and systematic medical neglect. Disease has spread widely among detainees, fueled by overcrowding, malnutrition, and the near-total absence of adequate healthcare.
His testimony emerges amid growing international warnings over the deteriorating conditions inside Israeli prisons and mounting calls from human rights advocates for urgent international intervention to halt alleged abuses and ensure the minimum protections guaranteed to Palestinian prisoners under international humanitarian law.