GAZA, (PIC)
March 3, 2024, was not an ordinary day in the life of Rami Abu Zubaida, a researcher in military and security affairs, it marked the beginning of a long journey of suffering behind bars in Israeli detention. This journey tested his will against the most brutal forms of oppression and abuse, serving as a testament to the scale of the crimes committed by the Israeli occupation authorities against Palestinian prisoners.
120 days in darkness
Blindfolded and handcuffed, in a space not exceeding one meter inside “Sde Teiman,” the infamous Israeli prison, Rami spent 120 days forced to sit in a kneeling position, prohibited from changing his posture for more than 18 hours a day, according to his testimony shared on Facebook. He was not allowed to speak or even move his lips to pray, and each movement was met with harsher punishment.
Torture: A journey of pain
According to Rami, torture was not merely a means of revenge but a daily practice aimed at breaking his will. He endured over 30 instances of physical torture, including brutal beatings all over his body, especially targeting the chest, face, and sensitive areas, and violent pressure on the iron handcuffs that carved into his flesh and reached his bones without treatment.
He also suffered from being tied face down while police dogs tore at his body and urinated on him, being held in stress positions against a wall for long hours, electric shocks to the face, neck, and hands, constant humiliation, psychological degradation, and forced starvation.
He bitterly recalls spending an entire week in the “noisy disco room” of military intelligence (Aman) cells.
Hunger as a torture tool
Rami entered captivity weighing 95 kilograms and emerged at 55 kilograms. Food was another means of torment, as the portions were scant, barely keeping him alive, and often spoiled.
What Rami Abu Zubaida experienced is not just an individual story but a recurring model for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners facing hell in the occupation’s jails. Despite all attempts to break his spirit, he emerged stronger, carrying his testimony of the brutality of the occupation, resilient as ever, and believing that the freedom they suffered for will ultimately prevail.
Rami gained his freedom in the seventh batch of the “Flood of Free People” deal, during which the resistance succeeded in liberating over 1,700 prisoners and detainees. He declared: “Salute to the Palestinian resistance, to everyone who stood firm, and to everyone who continues to resist inside and outside the cells.”
