RAMALLAH, September 23, 2026 (WAFA) — The Commission of Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs said Palestinian detainee Baraa Abu Khdeijeh, 36, from Tulkarm, who has been detained since August 27, 2026, is enduring harsh health, humanitarian, and psychological conditions in Israel’s Damon prison while pregnant.
In a report, the commission said Abu Khdeijeh was subjected to a harsh arrest in which she was blindfolded and her hands were tightly bound with plastic restraints, causing them to swell. Israeli soldiers then took her to an undisclosed location, where she was held for several hours, subjected to a strip search, and kept handcuffed to a chair amid shouting and verbal abuse.
The commission added that Abu Khdeijeh began experiencing abdominal pain during her detention before suffering bleeding, heightening her fear and concern for her unborn child. She was subsequently transferred to Sharon prison, where she spent about five days in what the commission described as harsh conditions.
The cell was dirty and infested with insects and litter, with none of the basic necessities, including drinking water, available, according to the report. The bedding consisted of a thin mattress without a cover, while the blanket was foul-smelling and there was no pillow. Abu Khdeijeh was also denied access to showers for five days and was not provided with a change of clothes or a towel.
The commission said its lawyer, who visited Abu Khdeijeh at Damon prison, reported that she had been subjected to another strip search and was being held in Room 11, designated for pregnant detainees.
Abu Khdeijeh told the lawyer that pregnant detainees are not provided with food suited to their needs and that the food is both insufficient and of poor quality. She said the three pregnant detainees in her room receive an egg or a piece of meat only once every three or four days.
The commission’s lawyer also reported that detainees at Damon face shortages of clothing and cleaning supplies amid high temperatures and humidity.
The commission stressed that pregnant detainees require specialized medical care, adequate nutrition, and humane conditions that preserve their dignity. It warned of the continued harsh conditions facing Abu Khdeijeh and the risks they pose to both her health and that of her unborn child.
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