Hamas has called for the prosecution of Israeli political and military leaders for systematic torture and grave violations committed against Palestinian prisoners and detainees held in Israeli occupation prisons.

In a statement issued on Friday to mark the United Nations' International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, observed annually on June 26, Hamas highlighted the ongoing suffering of thousands of Palestinian prisoners who continue to endure harsh conditions and alleged abuses inside Israeli detention facilities.

The movement stressed that Palestinian detainees are subjected to a wide range of violations, including physical and psychological torture, medical neglect, restrictions on family visits, food deprivation, prolonged solitary confinement, and what it described as inhumane detention conditions.

According to Hamas, the international occasion should serve as an opportunity to expose what it called the Israeli occupation's long-standing policy of torture against Palestinian prisoners and detainees. The movement argued that such practices constitute serious violations of international humanitarian law, human rights conventions, and legal standards established to protect detainees during times of conflict and occupation.

Hamas emphasized that the plight of Palestinian prisoners remains one of the most pressing humanitarian issues facing the Palestinian people. It accused Israeli authorities of intensifying repressive measures against detainees while denying international organizations adequate access to monitor prison conditions.

The movement urged the United Nations, international human rights organizations, and humanitarian institutions to take concrete and immediate action to halt the violations. It called for intensified diplomatic and legal pressure on Israel to secure the release of Palestinian prisoners and detainees and to ensure accountability for alleged abuses committed against them.

Hamas also demanded the disclosure of information regarding thousands of Palestinians currently held in Israeli prisons, stressing the need to allow families to visit their detained relatives and to grant independent humanitarian and human rights organizations access to detention centers in order to assess prisoners' living conditions and treatment.

The statement concluded with a call for international legal action against Israeli officials. Hamas urged human rights groups and legal institutions to file cases before international courts concerning alleged torture, abuse, and violations committed against Palestinian prisoners, insisting that those responsible should be held accountable under international law.

The issue of Palestinian prisoners remains a central cause for Palestinians, who view detainees as symbols of resistance and steadfastness in the face of decades of occupation. Human rights advocates have repeatedly called for greater international scrutiny of conditions inside Israeli prisons, particularly amid growing concerns regarding detainees' health, safety, and access to legal and humanitarian protections. (ILKHA)