Gaza, Freed Prisoner Siham Abu Salem: a Story of Torture and Resilience

Freed prisoner Siham Abu Salem is 71 years old and a resident of Khan Younis in the Gaza Strip. She was arrested on February 14, 2024, during a forced displacement journey she experienced with her family under the weight of war. She spent one year and eight months in Israeli prisons, during which she endured severe physical and psychological torture.

Abu Salem recounts that October 7 marked the beginning of a painful chapter in her life, as the bombardment in Khan Younis intensified, forcing her and her family to flee their home. They moved between several locations until they settled in Nasser Hospital, where they lived under extremely harsh humanitarian conditions, confined to a small space of just a few meters, together with her daughters and grandchildren.

A week before her arrest, displaced people received warnings to evacuate the hospital. While preparing to leave, they witnessed a shocking incident when a young man carrying the evacuation notice was killed, spreading fear and panic among everyone. Nevertheless, they were forced to leave amid horrifying scenes of destruction and corpses in the streets.

During her displacement, she was arrested at a checkpoint along with two of her daughters, while the children were left behind crying in the street. She describes the moment of arrest as humiliating and harsh, as she was subjected to a strip search and degrading treatment despite her old age and chronic illnesses.

Abu Salem underwent a 17-day interrogation in Ashkelon prison, during which she was subjected to various forms of psychological and physical torture—from insults and threats targeting her honor to humiliating acts such as being spat on, in addition to threats of raping her daughter. She confirms that this experience was among the harshest she has ever endured in her life.

After the interrogation, she was transferred to Damon prison, where she faced harsh detention conditions, including repeated repression, confiscation of basic necessities, and continuous restrictions imposed on female prisoners. She describes the experience of the prisoners as “indescribable suffering.”

One of the most emotionally impactful moments in her experience was meeting her imprisoned daughter, Susan, inside the prison after a long separation. The meeting was painful and filled with emotion, to the point that all the prisoners in the room cried. However, this brief moment of joy did not last long, as her daughter was placed in solitary confinement the following day, despite suffering from chronic illnesses such as diabetes and hypertension, leaving the mother without any news of her for 110 days.

Abu Salem also carries in her memory the loss of two of her sons as martyrs in previous years, adding to the magnitude of suffering she has endured throughout her life.

In the conclusion of her testimony, freed prisoner Siham Abu Salem issued an appeal to the international community, calling for urgent action to protect prisoners, stop the torture and violations they face in prisons, and ensure their human rights. She emphasized that what prisoners endure is beyond description, that freedom is a fundamental human right that must be preserved, and she called for international protection and an end to their ongoing suffering.

By Salma Kaddoumi