Released prisoner Mahmoud Attalah used his position to terrorize female guards. He selected who would work in his wing, touched them at will, issued threats—and in Hilla’s case, raped her multiple times.
By Sveta Listratov, TPS
Four times, “Hilla” was raped, suffering in silence while her superiors ignored the horror unfolding before them. She was just 19 years old, serving as a guard in the high-security Gilboa Prison as part of her mandatory military service.
And now she faces the possibility that her rapist, convicted Palestinian terrorist Mahmoud Attalah will walk out of prison and return to Shechem (Nablus), a short distance from Hilla’s home and the homes of other guards he tormented while superiors turned a blind eye.
“For a decade, I fought for justice. I endured humiliation, disbelief, and a legal battle just to see him finally indicted,” Hilla told The Press Service of Israel. “Now, the state that let this happen is turning its back on me again. If he is to be freed, I am begging them—send him far away. Don’t leave me living in fear.”
As victims of sexual assault, Hilla and the four other guards chose not to identify themselves publicly out of fear for their safety.
Attalah, a longtime Fatah operative, is serving a life sentence plus an additional 15 years for murdering a Palestinian woman from Ramallah whom he suspected of collaborating with Israel.
Yet, inside Gilboa Prison, he enjoyed a privileged status. As the designated liaison between security prisoners and officials, he wielded influence over inmates from nearly all terror factions.
In exchange for the intelligence-related activities he facilitated, Attalah was granted anything he requested, including the power to handpick the female guards assigned to work near him.
“He was the true commander of the prison,” attorney Keren Barak, who represents the five female guards, told TPS-IL.
Testimonies revealed how Attalah used his position to terrorize female guards. He selected who would work in his wing, touched them at will, issued threats—and in Hilla’s case, raped her multiple times.
For years, the case was buried, dismissed, and covered up.
But the victims succeeded in exposing the truth in 2021 during an inquiry into the escape of six prisoners. The revelations shocked Israelis. Attalah was indicted on charges of sexual assault in September.
Bassem Kashkosh and Rani Basha, the Gilboa Prison’s former commander and intelligence officer respectively, were also indicted for breach of faith and failing to report Atallah’s sexual offenses.
Attalah’s own trial on these charges was scheduled to begin towards the end of January.
It seemed that justice was within reach.
‘I Will Chase You For the Rest of Your Life’
Then, the news came. A phone call from their attorney informed them: Attalah would soon walk free as part of a hostages’ release deal with Hamas. The trial was canceled.
For the abuse survivors, Attalah’s release is not just a symbolic injustice. It is an immediate and tangible threat.
During interrogations, Attalah directly threatened his former guards, saying, “I will chase you for the rest of your life.” He demonstrated intimate knowledge of his victims’ personal lives, their families, and their homes.
“He obtained the phone numbers of female soldiers and called them after their service ended,” Barak recounted. “This is a man who was given so many privileges by the system that their fear is not paranoia. It is real.”
Despite the red flags, Israeli authorities didn’t classify Attalah as a high-risk prisoner eligible for deportation.
“He should not be free at all. But if he is released, why is he being placed so close to his victims?” Barak asks. “They fought so hard to see justice, and now they are being abandoned.”
Meanwhile, the women’s pleas for protection were ignored. Their petition to the High Court of Justice was dismissed outright. The Ministry of Defense claimed the matter was not under its jurisdiction.
The Ministry of National Security and the Israel Prison Service passed responsibility on to the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet). Neither the Shin Bet nor the Prime Minister’s Office responded to TPS-IL inquiries.
“They ignored us when we were being abused. They called us liars. They let this monster control us,” Hilla said. “And now, they’re doing it again. It’s the third time they’ve thrown us to the wolves.”
One of the survivors has not left her house since hearing the news. The others live in a constant state of fear.
“Their fear is justified,” Barak emphasizes. “They are being asked to live alongside a man who abused and terrorized them. And the state is pretending this is not its problem.”
The survivors stress they do not oppose the hostage deal.
“We are not saying don’t release prisoners. But why is Attalah not being deported?” Barak asks. “The government has the power to put him on a plane. Why are they forcing these women to relive their nightmare?”
The silence from officials only deepens the wounds.
Today, Hilla and other former guards have moved on with their lives. They are married, raising families, and building careers. But the trauma of what happened in the Gilboa Prison lingers, and with Attalah’s release looming, their sense of safety is shattered.
“If they are so sure he isn’t a threat, let them say so publicly,” Barak insisted. “Let them answer: What will you say if, God forbid, one of these women is harmed?”
Hilla’s voice raw with exhaustion and pain.
“I have fought enough. I just want to live without fear,” she said. “Is that really too much to ask?”
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