A video clip and pictures of young Gazan Badr Dahlan were widely circulated on social media, clearly showing the effects of torture that Badr Dahlan was subjected to after spending a month in Israeli prisons.
On Thursday, the Israeli army released Dahlan as part of a group of 33 detainees from the Gaza Strip through the Kissufim (Al-Qarara) military crossing, east of the Gaza Strip.
In the video, Badr Dahlan, 30 years old, appears shocked and confused, with bulging eyes and a thin body, and multiple injuries on his face and hands appear to reflect that he has been subjected to torture.
With stuttering words, as if his mind was unable to describe what he had been exposed to, Dahlan said that the prison experience was a “nightmare.” He added in words that seemed incomprehensible due to the horror of the shock, so he used hand gestures to describe: “They beat me in prison. They used to hit my head on the bus, and I did not get up.” … They beat me on my legs and hands and beat me hard… They wanted to break my feather and pull it out (the feather from my rib cage).”
He continued: “The forms of torture are indescribable… I felt every time that I was going to die.”
Dahlan indicated that he does not know the current whereabouts of his family, and he heard from citizens that Khan Yunis was subjected to great destruction as a result of the war.
Who is Badr Dahlan and why was he arrested?
Badr Dahlan is a 30-year-old Gazan man, married and the father of a young girl, according to Muhammad Hashem Dahlan, Badr’s cousin, who told the BBC.
The cousin confirmed that Dahlan had not previously suffered from any psychological problems, but the circumstances led to his recent illness, which worsened after the invasion of Rafah.
He added: “We made many efforts to obtain his medications, but to no avail. As a result, he did not take his medication for six months and was thus unable to recognize his surroundings.”
Muhammad indicated that Badr was living in a tent near Al-Aqsa University in Khan Yunis, with his father and brothers, while his mother left for treatment in Egypt.
He explained that Israeli army soldiers arrested Badr after he lost his way due to his worsening psychological state as a result of not taking medication.
He pointed out that the family received a call stating that Badr was in a school in Deir al-Balah after his release from the hospital, stressing that Badr needed psychological treatment to regain his health.
A disastrous psychological situation
In addition to his deteriorating physical condition, it became clear that Badr Dahlan’s psychological condition is catastrophic, and a doctor at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital told the BBC’s Gaza program that Badr suffers from a psychological disorder resulting from the torture and harsh conditions he was exposed to during detention.
The doctor pointed out that “Badr was subjected to torture, which led to the deterioration of his health and psychological condition. He lost his mind and humanity and was no longer able to act properly.”
Since the beginning of the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip, the Israeli army has arrested thousands of Palestinians, including women, children, and health personnel. A small number of them were released, while the fate of hundreds remains unknown.
In a statement published on Thursday, the Palestinian Authority for Prisoners and Ex-Prisoners’ Affairs in Gaza described Israeli prisons as “mass graves for thousands of Palestinian prisoners,” where they are subjected to physical and psychological torture and are subjected to “terrifying and inhumane” conditions.
36 prisoners were killed under torture
The Commission indicated that about 36 prisoners from the Gaza Strip were killed due to torture and harsh conditions of captivity since October 7th.
The Prisoners’ Commission explained, based on the statements and testimonies of the prisoners who were released, that there are “many forms of torture and inhuman and degrading treatment, and among these practices: forcefully and repeatedly stripping detainees, tying hands and feet, blindfolding them for long periods, electrocution, and systematic starvation. Ghosting, drilling on the body with a sharp object, deprivation of sleep, showers, and medical care, releasing ferocious dogs at them, exposing them to low temperatures, inviting officials and civilians to witness torture, and many other grave violations.”