Report: Over 130 Palestinian prisoners infected with coronavirus in Israel prisons

More than 130 Palestinian prisoners have contracted the coronavirus in Israeli jails, the Palestinian Prisoners’ Society (PPS) said yesterday.

The head of the society’s media department, Amani Sarahneh, told the Anadolu Agency that 13 Palestinian detainees have been diagnosed with the coronavirus at the Gilboa prison, bringing the total number of Palestinian prisoners infected with the virus to 131. One hundred of whom are in Gilboa prison, she added.

In August, Israel’s top court rejected a petition made by the Adalah – The Legal Centre for Arab Minority Rights calling on prison authorities to implement COVID-19 protective guidelines for inmates at Gilboa prison.

Israel has consistently failed to provide prisoners with basic precautionary services since the beginning of the pandemic, and even withdrew some food and hygiene products from prison commissaries.

According to the NGO, Israel detains nearly 5,400 Palestinians, including 41 women, 170 children and 370 administrative detainees who it holds without charge or trial.

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