May 13, 2026

Smol Emuni US Emergency Briefing with Professor Dan Turner
A Senior Israeli Doctor Speaks About Palestinians in Custody, and Healthcare in Gaza

Summary:

On the call, Professor Turner discussed the treatment of Palestinian prisoners inside Israeli hospitals, sharing how even individuals with broken bones or metastasized cancer are routinely restrained to their beds with wrist and ankle cuffs sometimes for days or weeks at a time while receiving treatment. This, he noted, is completely unnecessary and even illegal in a situation where there are multiple armed guards and patients are too weak to be a danger to anyone. Since October 7th, however, Professor Turner reflected that fewer incarcerated patients are being brought to the hospital at all, and are instead treated in paltry onsite facilities. 

He also spoke about the torture used by some guards towards Palestinain prisoners, including on the basis of first person testimony from a Bedouin  friend of his who was prisoned for one week and released after they found no evidence against him. The guards, Turner reported, regularly beat the prisoners for hours at a time, including on their genitals. He also cited reports of rectal examinations by guards when moving prisoners between cells. Professor Turner noted that the death of over 90 healthy detainees in Israeli prisons since Oct 7th likely reflects the tip of the iceberg of torture pattern. 

He concluded by sharing his work with Friends of Jahalin, an organization which advocates for the rights of Bedouin communities in the West Bank. He described the small communities of Bedouins which have endured for the last 60-70 years since they were forced out of the Negev on 1950, and the violence perpetrated against them by extremist settlers. He noted that Jewish settlements have sprung up like twins, some of which terrorizing local communities and thwarting their attempts to peacefully graze their animals. The army, Turner noted, has done little to stop this–and often goes farther, arresting residents on the testimony of settlers. Friends of Jahalin works to build community between Jews and Bedouin residents of the West Bank, organizing communal events, monitoring the violence, and offering space for communal reflection.

Bio:

Prof. Dan Turner is a pediatric gastroenterologist, Professor of Pediatrics at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and Shaare Zedek Medical Center, with international recognition for his clinical and academic leadership in pediatric inflammatory bowel disease. He is also a longtime human rights advocate, active with Physicians for Human Rights and other initiatives focused on the rights, dignity, and access to medical care of Palestinians and detainees.

Reports shared during the call:

Tirza Leibowitz, from Physicians for Human Rights Israel, who moderated the Q&A, shared links to reports documenting systemic torture and abuse and deaths of Palestinians held in Israeli prisons and detention camps. ‍

Death Sentence for Palestinians in Custody | New Report and Testimonies

The report is based on 94 documented cases between October 7, 2023, and August 2025. This unprecedented toll, together with extensive findings and evidence of deaths caused by torture and medical neglect, points to a deliberate Israeli policy of killing Palestinians in custody.

Torture of Medical Staff from Gaza in Israel • Report and Testimonies

A new PHRI report unveils harrowing testimonies from detained medical workers. Abducted from their workplaces, held for months without charges, subjected to torture, sexual abuse, and denied medical care - these atrocities shake us to the core.

Sde Teiman and Beyond – a Dive into Israel's Detention of Palestinians in the Shadow of War 

This webinar delves into the grave human rights violations occurring in Israeli detention centers in the shadow of war.