Pregnant prisoner faces harsh detention conditions in 'Damon'

The Prisoners and Ex-Prisoners Affairs Authority reports that prisoner Bara'a Abu Khadija (36) from Tulkarm, who is pregnant and has been detained since August 27, 2026, faces harsh health, humanitarian, and psychological conditions in 'Damon' prison, including strip searches, tight restraints, bleeding, and deprivation of appropriate care and food.

The Prisoners and Ex-Prisoners Affairs Authority reported that prisoner Bara'a Abu Khadija (36) from Tulkarm, who is pregnant and has been detained since August 27, 2026, faces harsh conditions in 'Damon' prison. The authority explained that the arrest was violent, as her eyes were blindfolded and her hands were tied with tight plastic restraints that caused swelling in her hands. She was taken to an unknown location and remained for long hours, subjected to strip searches and kept tied to a chair amid shouting and cursing. She began to feel abdominal pain and then experienced bleeding, increasing her fear for her fetus. She was later transferred to 'Sharon' prison where she spent five days in a dirty cell infested with insects and garbage, without drinking water, a mattress, or a clean blanket, and was denied showers and alternative clothing. The authority's lawyer reported that she is still in 'Damon' prison in room number (11) designated for pregnant women, and is subjected to repeated strip searches. Pregnant prisoners do not receive specialized food, and every three or four days they get an egg or a piece of meat. The authority warned of the continuation of these conditions and their impact on the prisoner's health and her fetus.