Israeli prisons are severely injuring prisoners by firing rubber bullets

Tel Aviv, Israel (AP) — Two prominent Israeli human rights groups have raised concerns about a surge in Palestinian inmates being shot with rubber bullets at close range by prison guards, resulting in severe injuries. The Public Committee Against Torture in Israel and Physicians for Human Rights Israel have documented 22 such cases, with nearly all of them occurring since last fall. This surge in violence has led to deteriorating prison conditions amid the ongoing war in Gaza.

Rights groups argue that the use of rubber bullets in these instances was disproportionate and not used as a last resort, such as to prevent escapes or stop violence. According to Sari Bashi, executive director of the Public Committee Against Torture in Israel, "The use of (rubber) bullets against prisoners is a dangerous new development."

Muhannad Abu Ghosh, director of the prisoners and detainees division at Physicians for Human Rights Israel, added that it is "becoming another routine form of violence in Israeli prisons."

The Israel Prison Service maintains that rubber bullets are used "measured" and "appropriately," stating that they are committed to the safety of prisoners. Since the war in Gaza began, thousands of Palestinians have been rounded up in the West Bank and Gaza, doubling Israel's prison population. While some prisoners have been released as part of a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, over 9,000 Palestinians remain imprisoned or detained.

In some cases, inmates shot with rubber bullets were not provided with medical care following the incident. One man was shot after refusing to return to his cell due to untreated scabies, while another was struck in the leg at close range. One Palestinian detainee, who wished to remain anonymous due to fears of reprisal, reported being shot multiple times in his legs, with the bullets burning his skin and causing infections.