Palestinian women held in Israeli detention centers endure harrowing conditions marked by physical and psychological abuse, including beatings, verbal humiliation, sexual violence, and isolation. Al-Damon Prison, in particular, has become infamous for its inhumane treatment of Palestinian female detainees, described by many as a "graveyard of the living."

Former prisoner and journalist Asmaa Harish recounts the relentless torment faced by detainees: overcrowded cells, insufficient blankets, and the confiscation of personal and sanitary items. She reveals that some cells designed for six now hold twelve women, exacerbating the suffering during the harsh winter months.

Harish describes being blindfolded, handcuffed, insulted, and denied basic needs such as bathing or time outdoors. “The food is unfit for human consumption, often undercooked and foul-smelling,” she recounts. During her six-month detention, four of which were spent fasting, she was held without charge.

She notes that the Israeli prison system appears intent on keeping detainees alive in conditions that lead to severe physical and mental health issues, such as malnutrition, diabetes, and chronic pain.

The detainees are stripped of their dignity at every turn. Cameras invade their privacy, even monitoring them while changing clothes. Strip searches and threats of further humiliation are routine, compounding their anguish. Medical care, Harish says, is a cruel joke. “The only treatment they offer is contaminated water,” she adds, illustrating the dire neglect in prison clinics.

Under the policies of Israeli Minister of National Security Itamar Ben Gvir, the situation for female detainees has worsened. Harish notes an increase in midnight raids, confiscations, and brutal treatment, particularly targeting detainees from Gaza, who are subjected to beatings and threats involving their families.

Since October 7, 2023, Israeli forces have detained 150 Palestinian women, with 88 currently confirmed in detention, including 30 mothers, 22 administrative detainees, two minors, and 18 students. The conditions are particularly dire in Al-Damon and Hasharon prisons, where women from Gaza are often subjected to enforced disappearance.

The systematic abuses against these women, many of whom are detained without charge or trial, underscore a deliberate strategy of breaking their will and isolating them from their communities. Harish’s testimony sheds light on the grim reality inside these prisons, where survival itself is a form of resistance.