According to the British newspaper, dozens of Palestinians are currently being held in isolation in the underground prison, which, according to Israeli Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, is for elite soldiers within Hamas.
At least two of the prisoners are civilian men who have not been formally charged with any crimes, according to PCATI, which is providing the men with legal assistance.
According to the organization, they are a 34-year-old nurse and an 18-year-old salesman, who have not seen daylight since January. The men testify to their lawyers about regular beatings, isolation and insufficient food, writes The Guardian .
Rakefet opened in the 1980s, but was forced to close just a few years later due to inhumane conditions. The ultranationalist Ben-Gvir, who repeatedly pushes for tougher measures against Palestinian prisoners, decided to reopen the facility after the terrorist attack by Hamas on October 7, 2023.
In addition to the prisoners at Rakefet, many other Palestinians are being held without trial and in difficult conditions in various Israeli detention facilities, which, according to PCATI, “violates international humanitarian law and constitutes torture.”
