Israel is in the process of phasing out the use of the detention camp of Sde Teiman in Israel’s Negev desert, as revealed by a state attorney during a recent hearing at Israel’s Supreme Court. The facility has been under scrutiny due to allegations of extreme abuse towards hundreds of Palestinian detainees from Gaza.
State attorney Aner Helman informed the court that 700 inmates have already been relocated to the Ofer military facility in the occupied West Bank, and an additional 500 are scheduled to be transferred in the coming weeks. Approximately 200 detainees are expected to remain at Sde Teiman, with the state committing to provide an update on their status within three days.
The hearing was prompted by a petition filed by the Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI) and other human rights organizations, citing reports of deplorable conditions at the makeshift prison as grounds for its closure.
An investigation by the resource uncovered accounts from Israeli whistleblowers, Palestinian former detainees, and eyewitnesses detailing the harsh realities within the facility. Reports included allegations of continuous blindfolding and handcuffing, leading to widespread condemnation on an international scale.
