Hebrew media claims hair loss signals deteriorating captivity conditions

In an unexpected focus shift, the Jerusalem Post has published a report that seems to suggest a rather unusual way to measure the trauma experienced by captives: their hair loss.

Released today, just hours after the seventh group of captives was freed in Gaza, the report highlights how captives' hair—specifically premature whitening, gray streaks, and thinning—is now being considered a key indicator of the effects of their captivity.

Meanwhile, Palestinian detainee's families continue to wait for the delayed release of their loved ones, with their suffering still largely ignored in favor of this focus on hair.

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The report draws on research to explain the phenomenon, stating that “extreme psychological stress is one of the most significant factors in premature hair whitening,” citing a study from Nature that suggests chronic stress harms the hair follicles.

The media further emphasizes that under extreme circumstances such as "abduction, torture, or prolonged exposure to inhumane conditions," the process of hair whitening can occur rapidly. “In addition to whitening, many of the captives developed partial baldness or had significantly thinner hair,” the article noted, discussing the physical toll of captivity.

Despite the widespread attention on the effects of captivity on "Israeli" captives' appearance, many international reports focus on the severe physical and psychological toll faced by Palestinian detainees.

Earlier this month, Euro-Med Monitor described "Israeli" prisons as "Graves for the Living" in its report, citing the poor health of Palestinian political prisoners recently released from "Israeli" jails. The report indicates that many detainees suffer from systematic malnutrition and torture.

According to the report, "Until the final moments before their release, most of the detainees endured psychological torture in addition to mistreatment and beatings."

The testimonies of released prisoners, recorded and analyzed by Euro-Med, reveal that the prison administrations' violations extended beyond poor detention conditions.

Following each detainee's release, the Palestinian Prisoners’ Club is forced to admit many to hospitals for urgent medical care, as consistently reported by the club.

They describe a systematic policy of retaliation against Palestinian detainees, which included severe torture, intentional starvation, and prolonged solitary confinement as punitive measures. These measures were brutally intensified after the events in the Gaza Strip, with the goal of punishing detainees simply for being Palestinians.

This abuse is not just based on testimonies but is also substantiated in "Israeli" courts. For example, the indictment of five reservists for the severe abuse of a Palestinian detainee at the Sde Teiman military detention facility highlights the ongoing mistreatment.

The charges, which include cracked ribs, a punctured lung, and a torn rectum, are supported by concrete evidence, including medical reports and security camera footage.

Read more: "Israel" indicts five soldiers for severe abuse of Palestinian detainee at Sde Teiman

This case adds to the growing body of evidence that proves the systemic abuse within "Israeli" detention facilities, further corroborated by international reports on the conditions faced by Palestinian detainees.