Soldiers Break Into Eshil-Be’er Sheva Prison, Attack Detainees, Search Their Rooms

Friday March 04, 2011 10:29

by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC & Agencies

The Palestinian Ministry of Detainees reported Thursday that Israeli soldiers and under-cover units of the Israeli army broke into the Eshil-Be’er Sheva prison, violently attacked the detainees and searched their rooms.

Archive Photo - Soldiers Preparing To Attack Detention Facility

Riyadh Al Ashqar, head of the Media Department at the Ministry, stated in a press release on Thursday, that most of the attacks were focused on section 16 of the facility as three special units, Drior, Darom and Nahshon, broke into all of the rooms and ransacked their property.

The attack was initiated on Tuesday at 6:30 in the morning following the prisoners count process, and continued until 3:30 in the afternoon on Wednesday (32 hours).

Al Ashqar said that this attack is one of the most violent attacks carried out against the detainees, and that the soldiers searched and ransacked seven room, including the room were Yahia Al Sinwar, representative of Hamas detainees in all prisons is detained, and a room were Islamic Jihad detainees are held.

The soldiers also broke into a storage room that contains the food and purchases of the detainees.

During the search, soldiers violently attacked the detainees while dragging them away from their rooms. The army also tore mattresses and pillows under the claim of searching for mobile phones allegedly smuggled recently into the facility.

The Ministry of Detainees voiced an appeal to human rights groups to intervene and stop the Israeli violations against the detainees, and to ensure they receive their internationally guaranteed rights.