Palestinian prisoner Hassan Sala’ma, a long-imprisoned leader of the resistance, is reportedly enduring systematic torture and inhumane treatment in Israel’s Megiddo prison. According to the Prisoners' Media Office, Sala’ma has suffered six physical assaults in just two months and has been deliberately starved, causing him to lose nearly half his body weight. His health has drastically declined, with his weight dropping to 62 kilograms under harsh isolation conditions that amount to slow, deliberate abuse.

Hassan Sala’ma, born in Khan Younis in 1971, rose to prominence during the First Intifada as a leading figure in the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades. He was arrested in 1996 and sentenced to 48 life terms for his role in resistance operations. Despite numerous prisoner exchanges over the years, Israel has refused to release him. His case highlights the deep-rooted punitive practices inflicted on Palestinian detainees, especially those held for long durations.

His suffering is not isolated. Since the beginning of the Israeli assault on Gaza in October 2023, there has been a notable surge in violence and abuse against Palestinian prisoners. The Palestinian Prisoners Club reports that 65 detainees have died in custody due to torture, malnutrition, and lack of medical care. With the prison population now exceeding 9,900—among them nearly 400 children—Israel’s detention system is increasingly described by rights groups as a site of institutionalised cruelty.

Activists argue that Hassan Sala’ma’s ordeal is emblematic of Israel’s broader policy of revenge and dehumanisation, one that persists under international silence and, at times, Western complicity. As global institutions fail to act, and as American support shields Israel from accountability, the lives of thousands of Palestinian prisoners remain at risk behind bars.