Prisoner Maha Al-Rifai: Scabies is gnawing at our bodies and we suffer from medical neglect in Damon

Ramallah - Afaq News - The Palestinian Authority for Prisoners and Released Prisoners said today, Monday, in its report that the detained prisoner Maha Abdulrahman Rifai, 55 years old, from the town of Anata, who was arrested on 11/2/2026, suffers from multiple health issues that have worsened due to her detention, in addition to the deliberate medical neglect inside Damon Prison.

She added, "Pain and problems in the cartilage and joints in the knees, and a herniated disc, in addition to her suffering from scabies in detention, have made it difficult for the prisoner to sit on the ground for long periods. The conditions of detention, such as overcrowding and being forced to sit or move in a way that does not suit her health condition, have exacerbated her pain."

The prisoner Rifai recounts to the authority's lawyer about her detention conditions: On 11/2/2026, at around eleven o'clock at night, occupation forces stormed her home, where her hands were bound with plastic ties and she was transported by military vehicle to the Ma'ale Adumim area, where she was subjected to humiliating treatment, threats, and insults.

The next day, she was transferred to Al-Maskobiya in a cell that she described as unfit for human habitation, where she remained for about a week during which she was subjected to strip searches and forced by the female guards to crawl on the ground, in addition to severe psychological, physical, and moral pressures.

The prisoner describes the conditions of the cell in Al-Maskobiya as extremely harsh; it was small in size and contained four almost touching beds without enough space to move, in addition to continuous darkness and the absence of windows.

The conditions of detention in Damon prison are no less harsh than those in Moskobiya, where I was subjected once again to a naked search. After several days of arriving at Damon, I, along with the female prisoners, experienced a crackdown inside the section, where I was beaten, pushed, and fell to my knees, causing me severe pain, especially given my health condition. I also suffered injuries during the crackdown, swelling, and pain in my legs, while I received only one pill throughout my entire detention period. The so-called 'prison clinic' did not complete the treatment for scabies, which has ravaged the bodies of the female prisoners in the room where I am held, depriving them of sleep and causing skin bleeding due to the itching.

The female prisoner describes the room she is in as extremely overcrowded, noting that three female prisoners are forced to sleep on the floor. Additionally, the quality of food is poor and the quantity is limited, along with continuous and sudden searches of the female prisoners' rooms, which have high heat and humidity levels, in addition to the restrictions imposed on communication between the rooms and the outside world.