IDF soldier drags blindfolded Palestinian child through hospital 

Physicians for Human Rights Israel (PHRI) have condemned an Israel Defence Forces (IDF) soldier for dragging a blindfolded Palestinian child detainee through a hospital for his medical appointment.

The incident occurred yesterday morning at the Shaare Zedek Medical Centre in Jerusalem. Hospital security staff intervened and removed the child’s handcuffs and blindfold.

“This practice harms prisoners and detainees and for good reason has been completely banned by the Israel Medical Association,” the head of the PHRI prisoners’ department, Anat Litvin, told the Times of Israel. “We are happy that the Shaare Zedek Hospital worked to correct the situation that arose.”

Without disclosing why the child was arrested, a military spokesperson claimed that the soldier was not briefed by his officers before leading the detainee blindfolded across the hospital, which was “an error that should not have occurred.” The IDF has been called the “most moral” army in the world.

Palestinian children are often indicted for throwing stones. Israel deems this to be a crime that warrants a maximum prison sentence of 20 years.

MK Mossi Raz of the Meretz party, a member of the government coalition, called out IDF abuse on Twitter: “This is what it looks like when the norms of the occupation seep inside Israel’s borders.”

חייל צה"ל הסתובב בין החנויות בבית החולים שערי צדק עם ילד באזיקון ופלנלית על העיניים.
רק בעקבות התערבות אנשי הביטחון של בית החולים הוסרו האזיקון והפלנלית והילד הובל למחלקת הילדים ככל שאר הילדים.
כשנורמות הכיבוש זולגות לתוך גבולות ישראל – כך זה נראה. pic.twitter.com/1g0iENVWxI

— Mossi Raz | מוסי רז | موسي راز 🟣 (@mossi_raz) October 24, 2022

As of July 2022, there were 4,550 Palestinian prisoners inside Israeli jails, including 27 women and 175 children. Six hundred and seventy Palestinians are held under administrative detention with neither charge nor trial.

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