Ten Palestinian detainees in the Negev Detention Facility after being
attacked by Israeli soldiers who intended to move a transfer hundreds
of detainees to other detention facilities. At least thirty detainees
were confined to solitary.
The clashes erupted after hundreds of soldiers, wearing armors and carrying clubs, broke into several branched in the facility after the prison administration informed the representatives of the detainees that it intends to transfer 250 detainees to other prisons.
Soldiers initiated their attack in sections B1, B2. C1 and C2, and attacked the detainees with batons. The detainees responded by throwing pieces of soap and other available materials at the soldiers who fired rubber-coated bullets and gas bombs.
Three detainees were injured by rubber-coated bullets, and seven were hurt after inhaling gas fired by the army and after being struck with batons.
Following the attack, soldiers transferred 250 detainees to other facilities in the north of the country.
The Palestinian Prisoners Society (PPS) reported that thirty detainees were confined to solitary after the prison administration claimed that they incited the detainees to escalate the situation.
All of the detainees at the Negev detention facility (2400 detainees) announced hunger strike for one day on Sunday.
The PPS stated that the detainees will decide the upcoming steps, which might include an extended hunger strike, in the coming days especially after the Prison Administration revealed its intentions to transfer additional 250 detainees to other prisons in the coming period.
Soldiers cut the power and water supply provided to the detainees and confiscated electrical equipments.
Also, soldiers evacuated 360 detainees and removed their tents, and removed the tens, then transferred them back to their branches forcing them to reinstall their tents.
Wasfy Qabha, the Palestinian Minister of Detainees at the Palestinian Authority, described the attack as an aggression that contradicts with the international agreements and human rights protocols.
Qabha added that this aggression proves that the detainees are living in contestant harassment, threat of violence and subjected to continuous violations and attacks.
Palestinian Legislator, Issa Qaraqe’ (Fateh movement), said that the attack is considered a planned violation against the detainees especially since they resemble the steadfastness and the determination of the Palestinian people.
Also, Mohammad Bsharat, head of the Palestinian Prisoners Society,said that this attack is part of the Israeli policy that aims to humiliate the detainees and crush their steadfastness.
