Palestinian captives in Israeli prison face 'health disaster', advocacy group warns

The Palestinian Prisoners Society (PPS) recently released a report indicating the spread of infectious diseases within Israel's notorious Megiddo Prison in the north, warning that the prison is facing a "health disaster." The association stated that it has received multiple reports from detainees confirming outbreaks of scabies and other infectious diseases within the prison.

Scabies is caused by mites that burrow under the skin and lay eggs, leading to rashes, itching, and other complications. The PPS stated that most detainees "suffer from health problems and face difficult and tragic detention conditions." They accused the Israeli prison authorities of refusing to provide detainees with "the necessary resources that could help limit the spread of diseases," including nutritious food, clothing, personal hygiene products, and adequate light and ventilation.

The association added that the spread of diseases under these conditions will inevitably lead to more deaths. They emphasized that this situation puts hundreds of detained children at risk, and mentioned the death of 17-year-old Walid Khaled Abdullah Ahmed in prison, which the association reported on Monday but was unable to confirm the circumstances surrounding his death. According to PPS data, Ahmed's death brings the total number of detainees who have died in Israeli custody since October 2023 to 63.

The Israeli newspaper *Haaretz* reported in November that a quarter of Palestinians detained by Israel had contracted scabies in recent months. Palestinians detained by Israel say that the treatment they are receiving is deliberate, not the result of negligence. One prisoner quoted by *Haaretz* said: "When we ask for treatment, they tell us that we are terrorists and must die."

Megiddo Prison has long been known for its brutal treatment of Palestinian detainees. According to reports in *Haaretz*, prisoners there have been subjected to electric shocks, dog attacks, and severe beatings. Some have been stripped naked, bound hand and foot for days, and deprived of food and blankets, with several hospitalized as a result of the abuse. The Commission of Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs further detailed the horrific conditions inside Megiddo Prison in a 2024 report, documenting systematic torture, medical negligence, sexual violence, and daily beatings.