RAMALLAH, Sunday, April 7, 2024 (WAFA) – The Prisoners and Ex-Prisoners Affairs Authority has called upon local, regional, and international women's organizations, as well as associations and unions dedicated to women's rights, to amplify their voices in saving Palestinian women from the targeting, persecution, and detention by the Israeli occupation authorities.

In a statement issued today, the authority outlined that the daily Israeli military raids on the homes of former female prisoners have become a consistent tactic, as the occupation seeks to enforce a policy of deterrence and revenge against Palestinian women and girls through arrests, physical assault, humiliation, intimidation, and the deliberate destruction of their homes.

The authority condemned Israel's recent escalation in the pursuit of former female prisoners. The latest incident occurred during the night and early morning hours today, where large-scale Israeli forces stormed the city of Ramallah and the town of Birzeit to the north, arresting the former female prisoners Layan Kayed and Layan Nasser, both students at Birzeit University.

The authority called for concrete steps to pressure governments and parliaments to fulfill their responsibilities towards addressing the denial of rights to Palestinian women and girls by the occupation. It emphasized the need for the occupation to be held accountable for its crimes against them.

Highlighting the recent notable increase in Israel's arrests of Palestinian women and girls, the authority noted that these arrests are driven by punitive and retaliatory motives. Additionally, they are often used as hostages and bargaining chips against their spouses, siblings, and parents.

There are a total of 81 Palestinian women in Israeli prisons, with the majority held in Damon Prison under complex living and health conditions.

M.N