Palestinian ex-detainee reveals harrowing tales of abuse in Israeli prison

Ibrahim Salem, a 34-year-old Palestinian ex-detainee, shared his traumatic experiences during eight months of incarceration at Israel’s notorious Sde Teiman prison.

Reflecting on the moment that marked the beginning of his torment, Salem recounted, “They told me to strip. That’s when I knew I was beginning my journey to hell.”

Salem’s ordeal began after a tragic Israeli airstrike on December 8, which obliterated his home in the Jabalya refugee camp, claiming the lives of eight family members and injuring his wife and two of their three children.

Just four days later, while visiting his children in the intensive care unit at Kamal Adwan Hospital, he faced another nightmare as Israeli forces raided the facility and arrested him.

“I was confused. Why was I arrested? I have nothing to do with resistance groups … There were no accusations against me,” he stated during an interview at a displacement camp in Al-Mawasi, southern Gaza. “I am a barber.”

Salem recalled the harrowing conditions of his arrest, where he and other detainees were treated like animals: handcuffed, blindfolded, and transported on trucks.

For eight long months, his family and friends had no news of his whereabouts.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) claimed the hospital was being used as a command center by Hamas, a statement the militant group has vehemently denied. CNN has been unable to independently verify these allegations.

In May, an investigative report by CNN brought to light the grim realities faced by detainees at Sde Teiman, including a haunting image of a blindfolded prisoner, which was later identified by Salem’s twin brother, Waseem, as Ibrahim himself.

Following a legal inquiry from his lawyer, Saja Mishreqi of the Public Committee Against Torture in Israel (PCATI), Salem was confirmed to be held at Ktzi’ot Prison, where he was ultimately released without charges on August 1.

During his detention, Salem described the terrifying sounds that haunted the prison: “We would hear screams. And then the sound of a bullet, followed by silence.” He described the interrogations, stating, “They would ask me: ‘Where are the hostages? Where are Hamas’ weapons? Are you Hamas? Are you Qassam? Are you Islamic Jihad?’”

Salem’s accounts of physical and psychological torment are harrowing. He detailed brutal treatment, including physical beatings and verbal harassment, but he highlighted the sexual abuse as the most traumatic aspect. “They would bring the metal detector and run it all over our bodies, then they would hover it over private parts and hit me there,” he revealed. Salem recounted being forced to strip completely for interrogations, a tactic he believes was designed to humiliate him further. “With the pain, I would lean forward. Then suddenly, they would push it (a baton) into my butt. Inside.”

After these harrowing experiences, he was given mere “seconds” to put his underwear back on, with any delay resulting in additional beatings.

In response to Salem’s claims, the IDF stated that he was detained on December 12 on suspicion of involvement in terrorist activities and held at Sde Teiman for approximately a month and a half before being transferred to the prison service. They emphasized that misconduct during detention is prohibited by law and IDF orders. However, requests for further information regarding Salem’s treatment were redirected to the IDF and the Israel Security Agency, Shin Bet, which has yet to respond.