Palestinian Dies in “Israeli” Prison, Becomes 79th Victim of Medical Neglect

By Staff, Agencies

A Palestinian detainee from Jenin refugee camp, north of the West Bank, has died in “Israeli” custody due to untreated medical complications, rights groups reported, marking the 79th Palestinian death in “Israeli” prisons since October 2023.

In a joint statement on Sunday, the Palestinian Commission of Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs and the Palestinian Prisoners’ Society [PPS] confirmed that 49-year-old Mahmoud Talal Abdullah, held since February 1, died at Shamir Medical Center [formerly Assaf Harofeh] in “Be’er Ya’akov”. Abdullah, who had been diagnosed with advanced-stage cancer, experienced severe health deterioration following his abduction.

Abdullah had previously been transferred from “Megiddo” Prison to “Gilboa” Prison, and later to the Ramla Prison Clinic. Despite medical examinations confirming his critical condition, “Israeli” authorities refused to release him, keeping him in detention until his death one day after arriving at Shamir Medical Center.

The statement noted that Abdullah had previously spent two years in “Israeli” prisons after being abducted during the al-Aqsa Intifada in 2002. His earlier abduction had interrupted ongoing medical treatment for existing conditions, further worsening his health.

Rights groups condemned Abdullah’s death as part of a systematic pattern of abuse and medical neglect by “Israeli” prison authorities, describing it as part of a broader campaign of violations against Palestinian detainees. They highlighted testimonies from hundreds of former abductees documenting torture, harassment, and inhumane treatment, which constitute crimes against humanity and war crimes under international law.

According to PPS, at least 10,400 Palestinians are currently held in “Israeli” prisons, including 3,300 administrative detainees held without charge or trial. The detainee population also includes 320 children and 88 women. Many face deplorable conditions, insufficient hygiene, and ongoing repression, prompting hunger strikes to protest unlawful detention.

The Palestinian Detainees Studies Center reports that around 60 percent of detainees suffer from chronic illnesses, with several dying during detention or soon after release due to medical neglect. Abdullah’s death underscores the ongoing humanitarian crisis and systemic abuses faced by Palestinian detainees under “Israeli” custody.