RAMALLAH, February 6, 2017 (WAFA) – Israel arrested 590 Palestinians, including 128 children, 14 women, one lawmaker and one journalist in the West Bank and Gaza Strip in January 2017, according to rights groups.

In a joint report prepared by the Commission of Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs, Palestinian Prisoner’s Society (PPS), Al Mezan center for Human Rights, Prisoners Support and Human Rights Association, Israel arrested:

The report showed that the Israeli authorities issued 91 administrative detention orders, including 29 new orders and one verdict against Ahmad Mubarak, a deputy at the Palestine Legislative Council (PLC), and journalist Nidal Abu Baker.

“The number of Palestinian detainees in Israeli jails reached about 7000, including 52 females, 300 children, 600 administrative detainees and 21 journalists,” the report revealed.

In January alone, "Israeli prison guards carried raids in many prisons, storming sections and rooms of prisoners to destroy their belongings,” the report said.

The month "witnessed the continuity of medical negligence policy against hundreds of detainees, an increase in administrative detention policy, solitary confinement, women and children detention, fines and cancellation of family visits.”

The four organizations condemned Israel’s flagrant violation of the rules of international law in their treatment of the Palestinian detainees. 

They called on the United Nations and the international community to “act to stop the grave violations and abuse against Palestinians, especially the continued practice of torture and the degrading treatment of children.”

M.N/M.H