The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) has released shocking footage of purported torture rooms set up by Hamas to conduct “brutal interrogations” and punishments. The videos, none of which have been verified, show detainees being forced or bound into stressful positions.
The 45-minute footage, a compilation of torture videos released by the IDF on Sunday, was allegedly captured during the two years from 2018-2020. It shows activities at a Hamas facility where “brutal interrogations” were carried out.
The videos was recovered from a computer in Jabalia, in northern Gaza, in March. They show detainees being bound into stressful positions, applying painful pressure to the body or limbs. Others were shown getting beaten on the soles of their feet.
One shocking visual shows a man chained to the ceiling by their feet with sacks over their head as a Hamas operative beats the soles of his feet with a stick. Another video shows a detainee with a sack over his face as the operatives talk among themselves and do paperwork.
It was unclear why the men had been detained but Israeli media reports say Hamas categorises Gaza’s citizens into four categories: “Neutral”, “Supporter”, “Enemy” (Fatah and Islamic Jihad members), and “Brother” (religious Hamas loyalists). The punishments for their mistakes are dependent on these classifications, Ynet News quoted an unnamed official.
Some of the detainees include Salafist residents of Gaza, and radical Islamists aligned with al-Qaeda. These Salafists, condemn Hamas as “infidel” and protested the taxes imposed by the rulers of the enclave. Hamas is said to have identified and tortured them.
UK-based Daily Mail, which carried an exclusive report on the issue, quoted a former Israeli intelligence officer, who claimed that Hamas has been known to melt plastic over skin, and electric cables on their body. The officers, identified as Guy, said some are electrocuted on electricity pylons or dragged on a chain from a vehicle until they die. He also described Sinwar as someone obsessed with such punishments.
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