In a shocking revelation, Palestinian writer and journalist, Lama Khater, has come forward to expose the verbal and physical abuse prevalent in Israeli jails. Khater, who was recently released after being held for a month, recounted her harrowing experience of torture and indignities inflicted upon her during her detention.
Khater’s arrest came in the aftermath of the October 7 attacks on Israel by Hamas and the subsequent Israeli assault on Gaza. She was among hundreds of Palestinians who were arrested during this period. After being forcibly taken from her home in Hebron, Khater was subjected to a series of interrogations and transferred between detention centers without knowing the charges against her or her fate.
During her captivity, Khater was handcuffed with painful plastic zip ties, thrown into an army jeep, and taken to the Kiryat Arba settlement camp. Separated from her husband and five children, she endured threats of rape, murder, house burning, and deportation to Gaza. Khater described the psychological torment she faced as the Israeli officers asserted their power over her, reminding her that she was a mere prisoner of war and they could do as they pleased.
Moved to Hasharon Prison, Khater was crammed into a filthy cell with five other Palestinian women. The lack of access to water for cleaning and the limited space forced the women to take turns sitting and sleeping. From there, she was transferred to Damon Prison, where she witnessed other prisoners being badly beaten. Khater herself was subjected to strip searches and insults.
Sentenced to six months of administrative detention, Khater resigned herself to her fate while worrying about her children and husband. Shockingly, she discovered that her husband had also been arrested and placed under administrative detention, leaving their five children alone and frightened. The inhumane treatment continued in Damon Prison, where guards used pepper spray, imposed solitary confinement, restricted access to food and necessities, and denied sanitary pads to the prisoners.
Khater’s ordeal finally came to an end when she was moved to Ofer Prison and released at dawn. However, even at the last moment, she faced threats and warnings from the Israeli officers, forbidding her from celebrating her release or publishing about her experience on social media.
Khater’s story sheds light on the plight of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails. Since October 7, nearly 6,000 people have been arrested in the occupied West Bank, and more than 270 Palestinians have been killed in individual attacks and raids. Several other Palestinian prisoners released in the same exchange deal have also spoken out about mistreatment and abuse in Israeli prisons.
The international community must take notice of these appalling human rights violations and demand justice for the Palestinians who have suffered at the hands of Israeli authorities. The story of Lama Khater serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need for a just and peaceful resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
