Osama Hamdan, a member of the Hamas Political Bureau, underscored the critical importance of the Palestinian prisoners' issue, describing it as a central national concern for both Hamas and the Palestinian people.

Speaking at a press conference in Beirut, Hamdan condemned the continued suffering and escalating actions by Israel against Palestinian prisoners, calling it a just humanitarian cause that demands immediate attention.

Hamdan stated: "One of the main causes of all the uprisings and revolutions against the Zionist enemy was and still is the occupation’s horrifying crimes and systematic violations against both male and female prisoners in its prisons." He highlighted the severe conditions faced by Palestinian detainees from Gaza, the West Bank, and Occupied Jerusalem, labeling the Israeli government as "the most extreme and Nazi."

He criticized the Israeli practice of enforced disappearances and the suppression of information about the true state of Palestinian detainees. "This criminal escalation is directed at Palestinian hostages and abductees from the Gaza Strip as well as prisoners and detainees from the West Bank and Occupied Jerusalem," Hamdan said.

Hamdan also pointed out the long-standing suffering of Palestinian prisoners, which he said has intensified since October 7, 2023. He contrasted this with what he described as the disproportionate attention given by the US administration and some Western countries to Israeli captives held by Palestinian resistance.

"The Israeli occupation is still abusing its power, abducting people from the Gaza Strip, executing them in the open, torturing them both physically and psychologically, slow-killing them, denying them access to food and medicine, violating their most basic human rights," Hamdan stated.

He emphasized the heartbreaking testimonies from those released from Israeli detention, detailing the atrocities committed against them. Hamdan noted that the number of Palestinian prisoners who have died in Israeli custody has risen significantly. "Since October 7, 18 prisoners from the West Bank and Occupied Jerusalem have died in Israeli prisons, while 37 prisoners from the Gaza Strip died in Israeli detention camps."

He further revealed that approximately 9,500 Palestinians have been detained since October 7, enduring conditions such as starvation, abuse, and severe physical mistreatment. Several detainees have died due to torture, medical negligence, or deprivation of basic necessities.

Hamdan's statements underscore the ongoing crisis and human rights violations faced by Palestinian prisoners, calling for international attention and action to address these severe injustices. (ILKHA)