Israel systematically uses rubber bullets against abductees, Palestinian group says

Israel’s prison authorities have turned the use of rubber bullets against Palestinian detainees into a “systematic punitive policy” in recent months, leaving dozens wounded, including some with life-threatening wounds, the Palestinian Prisoner’s Society said.

The advocacy group said in a statement that Palestinian prisoner rights organisations have documented dozens of cases in which inmates were shot with rubber bullets inside Israeli prisons.

The actual number is likely higher due to strict restrictions on prison visits and isolation imposed by Israeli authorities, which have hampered efforts to document all violations, the group added.

Denied medical treatment

According to the group, a number of abductees suffered severe bleeding from their limbs and other sensitive parts of their bodies, while some required surgery because of the seriousness of their injuries.

The statement quoted one prisoner as saying doctors warned he could require the amputation of one of his limbs because of complications from his wounds.

Most wounded detainees continue to require specialised medical care, while Israeli prison authorities are allegedly denying them treatment.

The Palestinian Prisoner’s Society said prison administrations have expanded the use of force against inmates in recent months, introducing new weapons and methods to suppress them.

It said detainees’’ bodies had become “a testing ground for tools of repression and violence”, particularly since Israel launched its genocide in Gaza in October 2023.