The dark world underground... Major backlash against Israel's new prison

Palestinians detained by Israel from Gaza are struggling to survive without seeing daylight in an underground prison called Rakefet. Human rights defenders state that these individuals are being fed at the starvation threshold and are completely cut off from their families.

THE DARK WORLD UNDERGROUND

The Rakefet prison was built in the 1980s for organized criminals but was closed due to its inhumane conditions. Israel's far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir had the facility reopened following the attacks in 2023. Prisoners are held in cells underground without seeing any daylight.

According to the Public Committee Against Torture in Israel (PCATI), those held there include civilians who have remained in prison for months without being charged. Lawyers report that these individuals are subjected to systematic torture.

HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS REACT

PCATI director Tal Steiner stated that Palestinians are being deliberately kept in poor conditions and that the situation at Rakefet is creating psychologically devastating effects. The lack of sunlight negatively affects the detainees' sleep patterns and physical health.

Lawyers Janan Abdu and Saja Misherqi Baransi visited the facility during the summer months. The lawyers, who were taken underground accompanied by masked and armed guards, stated that prisoners are prohibited from communicating with their families.

The prisoners are held in airless, windowless cells. Three or four people stay together and report that they have difficulty breathing. According to reports, regular beatings, attacks by dogs, and a lack of medical care are common.

During a visit to the prison, Ben-Gvir defended these practices by saying, "The place for terrorists is underground." However, human rights defenders emphasize that these conditions violate the laws of war and are inhumane.

News Source: 12punto