Palestinians appear ‘shocked’ and ‘wide-eyed’ after torture in Israeli prisons

Palestinians detained by Israeli forces face severe post-traumatic conditions. In a video that has gone viral online, a Palestinian man released from an Israeli prison is seen in a state of extreme shock and fear.

Badr Dahlan was arrested by Israeli forces in Khan Younis and held for more than a month without charge.

Visibly traumatized, Dahlan shared his horrific experience of torture in detention with Al Jazeera. He was receiving medical treatment at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Gaza.

Although his current condition has not been confirmed, his wide-eyed expression is consistent with the condition known as “shell shock,” a type of post-traumatic stress disorder.

It is worth mentioning here that Dahlan’s testimony is consistent with many other accounts from Gaza prisoners.

Thousands of Palestinians, including women, children, the elderly, paramedics, journalists, doctors and first responders from Gaza, are in Israeli prisons.

The term “shell shock” originated from the idea that frequent bombing was primarily responsible for the psychological trauma soldiers suffered during and after war, particularly during World War I.

It was defined by intense anxiety, nightmares, tremors, perplexity, and an inability to function normally and effectively. Shell shock is now frequently recognized as a type of PTSD.

Israeli authorities have intensified their pre-existing practice of mass arrest campaigns during the ongoing genocide. Around 9,200 Palestinians from the occupied West Bank, East Jerusalem and Gaza, including those who have not been tried or directly charged, are languishing in Israeli prisons.

Various reports from human rights organizations, supported by images, videos and testimonies from smuggled detainees, show a significant increase in abuses and use of torture by Israel since October 2023. The stories contain chilling allegations of beatings. , dog attacks, sexual assaults, malnutrition and deliberate denial of medical care to Palestinian prisoners.