51 Palestinian women remain imprisoned in Israeli detention facilities, including two girls, while child prisoners face severe neglect and abusive conditions, human rights observers warn.

The Palestinian Prisoners and Freed Prisoners Affairs Commission (PPS) has reported that 51 Palestinian women are currently held in Israeli detention centers, including two minors.

The statement draws particular attention to Fida Asaf, a mother and leukemia patient, whose health has deteriorated significantly in recent months. Recent medical examinations revealed critically elevated tumor markers. The PPS highlighted that Asaf has been denied access to personal and feminine hygiene products, while facing severe shortages of clothing and essential medication.

The commission also raised alarms regarding the treatment of Palestinian children in Israeli custody. Reports indicate that hundreds of children are confined in overcrowded and cramped cells, deprived of basic necessities, education, and adequate medical care. They are exposed to continuous physical and psychological abuse, subjected to routine isolation, and undergo invasive search procedures.

A recent report from the commission’s legal team following an inspection of Ofer Prison detailed deliberate neglect of the children’s health, inadequate nutrition, and conditions that hinder normal growth and development. Many children reportedly endure harsh interrogations and coercion designed to undermine their resilience.

The PPS characterized these conditions as part of a systematic policy targeting Palestinian children, describing them as a violation of international law and the Convention on the Rights of the Child. The commission warned that continued international inaction could have severe and lasting repercussions on the lives and futures of these young prisoners. (ILKHA)