Palestinian Journalist Rula Hassanein and Detainees Detail Abuse in Israeli Prisons

Palestinian journalist Rula Hassanein, released in January 2025 as part of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal, has spoken out about the abuse she and other detainees suffered in Israeli prisons. Arrested in March 2024 while nursing her infant daughter, Hassanein was reunited with her child after nearly ten months of detention. In interviews following her release, she described routine strip searches, forced removal of her headscarf, and degrading treatment by Israeli authorities. “There were numerous violations against us as women,” she said, calling the experience humiliating and psychologically abusive.

Video footage captured Hassanein’s emotional return, holding her daughter, who initially didn’t recognize her. Her story reflects the broader experiences of many Palestinian women and children released during the ceasefire’s prisoner exchange.

Other freed detainees, such as Nidaa Salah, Raghad Amro, and Yasemin Abu Surur, reported beatings, solitary confinement, food deprivation, and denial of medical care while held in Israeli facilities like Damon and Ofer prisons. Several spoke of being transferred while handcuffed and blindfolded, held in freezing cells, and subjected to verbal abuse and threats.

Rights groups, including Amnesty International and the UN Human Rights Office, have long accused Israel of mistreating Palestinian detainees, particularly under administrative detention—a policy allowing imprisonment without charge or trial. Reports following the January release documented emaciation, untreated injuries, and signs of psychological trauma among former prisoners, including minors.

These accounts add to growing international concern over the treatment of Palestinian detainees. Human rights organizations have called for independent investigations into allegations of torture, sexual abuse, and inhumane conditions, especially in facilities like Sde Teiman, where released Gaza prisoners have reported extreme abuse.

Why it matters: Hassanein’s testimony and the broader pattern of abuse highlight systemic mistreatment in Israel’s detention system, particularly against journalists and women. The stories emerging from recent releases underscore urgent calls for legal accountability, international oversight, and protection of detainees’ rights.

Bottom line: Rula Hassanein’s experience is not isolated—it reflects a larger system of abuse and impunity. Her return to her daughter is a symbol of resilience, but justice remains elusive for the many who endured similar or worse.

https://english.almayadeen.net/videos/detained-journalist-rula-hassanein-returns-to-her-child-afte