Nine Palestinian detainees at the Etzion Detention Centre, located south of Bethlehem in the occupied West Bank, were poisoned after consuming contaminated meals, according to the Palestinian Prisoners’ Club and the Prisoners’ Affairs Commission.

Reports from lawyers who visited the detainees revealed that the prisoners suffered severe abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhoea, dehydration, and weakness. Many were unable to stand, and some lost consciousness. Despite these symptoms, no medical treatment was provided.

The Prisoners’ Affairs Commission accused the Israeli prison authorities of deliberately escalating punitive measures against Palestinian detainees since the start of the aggression on Gaza. These measures include providing poor-quality meals, extended periods of hunger, and violent suppression of complaints about the conditions.

The Etzion Detention Centre, described as a transit and interrogation facility, has seen repeated incidents of food poisoning over the years, according to Palestinian rights groups. Currently, the centre holds 111 detainees.

Since the start of the war on Gaza on 7 October 2023, over 12,000 Palestinians have been arrested across the West Bank, including dozens of workers and thousands from Gaza whose total numbers remain unverified. The escalation has coincided with increased violence by settlers, leaving 809 Palestinians dead and more than 6,450 injured in the West Bank, according to official data.

Meanwhile, Gaza continues to endure catastrophic conditions, with over 150,000 Palestinians killed or injured, most of them women and children. Thousands remain missing amid widespread destruction and famine, which has claimed additional lives among children and the elderly. Rights groups have called for urgent international intervention to protect detainees and civilians alike.