The head of the Palestinian Prisoner’s Club, Abdullah Al-Zughari, has revealed that prominent detainee Marwan Barghouthi continues to face repeated repression in Israeli prisons, including serious assaults during the war on Gaza. The most notable incident occurred in September during his transfer from Ramon Prison to Megiddo, leaving Barghouthi with fractures and bruises.

Al-Zughari emphasised that Barghouthi, like many Palestinian prisoners, endures systematic abuse, starvation, and humiliation at the hands of the Israeli prison authorities. He noted that the refusal to include Barghouthi in prisoner exchange agreements reflects a broader strategy to weaken the leadership of the prisoner movement and suppress symbols of Palestinian unity.

The Prisoner’s Club also highlighted alarming conditions inside Israeli jails, including the spread of diseases such as scabies and chronic starvation. Since October 2023, at least 78 Palestinian prisoners have died in custody, including 46 from Gaza, alongside others who have faced extrajudicial killings. Al-Zughari called for urgent international action to protect Palestinian detainees and secure their release.