Palestinian researcher and former political prisoners, Abdul-Nasser Farawna, reported that Israel is currently holding captive 4550 Palestinians, held in 17 prisons, detention and interrogation centers, and added that 220 Palestinian children are still imprisoned by Israel.Talking to the Maan News Agency, Farawna stated that the army conducts invasions and arrests on a daily basis, and added that soldiers usually kidnap around 10 Palestinians a day.
Farawna said that 220 children are currently imprisoned by Israel and facing ongoing violations, in addition to being subject to harsh treatment and torture during interrogation, similar to what adult detainees face during interrogation.
250 Palestinians are currently imprisoned under administrative detention orders, without charges or trial. Six Palestinian women are also held by Israel, including Lina Al-Jarbouni, from the 1948 territories; Al-Jarbouni was taken prisoner more than 10 years ago.
Israel is also holding captive 17 democratically elected legislators and three former ministers.
Farawna said that there is a noticeable decrease in the number of detainees held under the illegal Administrative Detention orders, and attributed the issue to the repeated hunger strikes held by the detainees to protest the ongoing violations against them, and the Administrative Detention policy.
The researcher further stated that dozens of detainees, from different Arab countries mainly Jordan, Syria and Egypt, are still imprisoned by Israel.
Farawna said that detainee Sidqi Al-Maqt, is currently the longest serving Palestinian detainee; he was kidnapped by Israel in August of 1985, Al-Maqt is serving a 27-year term, and will be released on August 25.
As for the geographical distribution of the detainees, Farawna said that the vast majority (%82) of the detainees are from the West Bank, in addition to %10.3 from the Gaza Strip, and %7.5 are from Jerusalem and the 1948 territories.
He stated that 537 detainees were sentenced to at least one life-term, and that there are 113 detainees who have been imprisoned since before the establishment of the Palestinian National Authority in 1994; those detainees have been sentenced to at least 20 years, including 85 detainees who have been sentenced to life in prison, and 28 detainees who have been sentenced to 20-40 years. 22 detainees have been imprisoned for more than 25 years, including the long-serving detainee Karim Younis, from an Ar’ara village in the 1948 territories; he was taken prisoner on January 1983.
Despite the fact that Israel reinstated visitation rights to Gaza Strip detainees for the first time in five years, 320 detainees from the Gaza Strip are still denied their visitation right.
Parents of thousands of detainees from the West Bank are still denied their visitation rights due to Israeli allegations of security considerations.
