“It was hell”: Palestinian journalist recounts his year of detention in Israel

A harrowing account from Palestinian journalist Ali al-Samoudi paints a grim picture of his year spent in Israeli administrative detention. Released just last week, al-Samoudi, visibly weakened and having lost approximately 60 kilograms, describes his experience not as incarceration, but as a deliberate campaign of punishment and vengeance. His testimony, shared from his home in Jenin, West Bank, details extreme deprivation, particularly concerning food. Rations were allegedly reduced to the bare minimum required for survival, with meals consisting of meager portions of items like labneh, jam, rice, and cucumber. This stark description of starvation rations is corroborated by numerous other Palestinian detainees who have emerged from Israeli prisons in a similar emaciated state. Despite a ruling by the Israeli Supreme Court last September calling for improved detention conditions and acknowledging the state's failure to meet minimal nutritional obligations, the situation appears unchanged, with far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir reportedly boasting about the poor quality of meals served. Al-Samoudi's ordeal also includes the confiscation of books, pens, and paper, and the use of shampoo bottles labeled 'for dogs,' underscoring a pattern of deliberate humiliation and dehumanization. Furthermore, he recounts systematic physical violence during transfers and medical examinations, and tragically, the death of a fellow inmate who was allegedly left without necessary medical attention. This testimony offers a critical perspective on the realities of administrative detention, a practice that allows for indefinite imprisonment without trial, and highlights the severe human rights concerns raised by organizations monitoring the conflict.

“

C’était un véritable enfer. La prison aujourd’hui est l’enfer dans tous les sens du terme. Tout ce qu’ils nous ont fait subir relevait de la punition et de la vengeance.