Inside the Naqab Prison: the notorious detention centre holding flotilla activists

Lubna Tuma, a lawyer working with Adalah – the Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel – visited the Global Sumud Flotilla captives being held in Naqab Prison, one of the most abusive of the occupation’s. Here is a video of her describing their mistreatment and denial of basic rights.

Inside Naqab Prison

According to the Palestinian Prisoner’s Society, the Naqab Prison holds thousands of Palestinian prisoners, including detainees from Gaza. It notes that a number of these prisoners have been killed there since the start of the genocide. Among them was Thaer Abu Asab, who was killed as a result of severe beatings and torture by special repression units.

The Naqab Prison, historically known as ‘Ansar 3 Detention Centre’ was established by the occupation in 1998 following the outbreak of the First Intifada. Thousands of prisoners were held there as confrontations escalated during that period, and many were killed inside that prison.

Tuma said:

This is not an isolated case. It exposes the same methods routinely used against Palestinians under occupation: humiliation, deprivation, and collective punishment.

UN Special Rapporteur Ben Saul has also condemned the illegal abduction of the Global Sumud Flotilla, saying that the military interception of civilian vessels carrying humanitarian aid is a blatant breach of international law:

This action confirms that the blockade and the denial of life-saving aid are tools of war. When peaceful missions are violently seized, it exposes the criminal intent to maintain the siege and ensure the starvation of the population. The IOF has violated international maritime and humanitarian law. The world is watching and accountability must follow.

Featured image via the Canary