Palestinian detainees unaware of start of Ramadan

• A Palestinian detainee at Gilboa Prison was unaware of the start of Ramadan and asked his lawyer during a court session: “Is today Ramadan? 

• Lawyers report detainees face severe restrictions on information and communication.

A Palestinian detainee appeared surprised to learn that Ramadan had begun, highlighting what rights groups describe as harsh conditions and severe restrictions faced by detainees in 'Israeli' prisons.

Attorney Khaled Mahajneh, representing the Palestinian Commission of Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs, recounted an emotional scene on Wednesday after attending a court session for a detainee from inside 'Israel' at Gilboa Prison on the first day of the holy month.

According to Mahajneh, he congratulated the detainee on the occasion of Ramadan as he entered the courtroom. The prisoner responded with a startled question: “Is today Ramadan?” adding, “No one told us it started.”

The lawyer said the exchange underscored the difficult humanitarian reality experienced by Palestinian detainees, some of whom are reportedly deprived of basic information about significant religious occasions due to strict limitations on communication with the outside world and the absence of media access inside prison cells.

Mahajneh further alleged that prison authorities continue to impose punitive measures against detainees, including restrictions affecting religious practices. He said that in recent years, detainees have entered Ramadan without suhoor (the pre-dawn meal), while iftar “is a long pain, with nothing resembling the spirit of Ramadan.”

He added that for more than two years, detainees have been forced to break their fast on minimal food portions, describing conditions that, he said, amount to systematic mistreatment in various aspects of daily life, particularly regarding religious observance.