The Palestinian Commission for Prisoners and Ex-Detainees Affairs has sounded the alarm over the deteriorating health of several Palestinian prisoners in Israel’s Gilboa Prison, exposing a pattern of systemic medical neglect that continues to endanger lives. A recent visit by a legal representative uncovered deeply troubling cases of untreated illness and abuse, highlighting once again the grim conditions Palestinian detainees face under Israeli incarceration.

Monieer Salameh, a 25-year-old from Jenin refugee camp, has endured four months of untreated scabies, with his body now covered in painful boils. Samer Qumbah, 30, also from Jenin, suffers from intense ear and neck pain, frequent numbness, and severe dental issues. Despite his condition, he was recently assaulted by Israeli special forces, who confiscated a vital medical brace. Meanwhile, Ibrahim Ramadi, 32, from Jerusalem’s Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood, is battling multiple untreated conditions, including scabies, eczema, persistent migraines, tendon pain, and a chronic heart issue exacerbated by the prison’s failure to provide required medication.

Poor hygiene conditions, malfunctioning washing facilities, and deliberate neglect are compounding these health issues. Inmates are often unable to wash their clothes, and basic sanitation is lacking—factors that aggravate already serious medical conditions.

These cases are not isolated. They represent a wider policy of indifference and abuse that violates international law, particularly the Fourth Geneva Convention, which guarantees humane treatment for detainees under occupation. Human rights organisations have consistently condemned Israel’s failure to meet its obligations, calling for urgent international intervention.

As calls grow louder for independent oversight and accountability, the silence of the international community remains deafening. For many Palestinian prisoners, the denial of medical care is not just neglect—it is a slow, calculated cruelty.