RAMALLAH: Four Palestinian detainees from Gaza have died while in Israeli custody, according to the Palestinian Prisoner's Society (PPS) and the Commission of Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs. The deaths have heightened concerns over the treatment and conditions faced by Palestinian detainees in Israeli prisons.
According to Palestine News and Information Agency - WAFA, the detainees have been identified as Mohammed Rashid Akka, 44, Samir al-Kahlout, 52, Zuhair Al-Sharif, 58, and Muhammad Anwar Labad, 57. Their deaths bring the total number of Palestinian detainees who have died in Israeli custody since October 7, 2023, to 54. The PPS and the Commission emphasized the ongoing humanitarian disaster and accused the Israeli authorities of systematically liquidating prisoners.
The PPS and the Commission reported that responses from the Israeli authorities regarding the detainees' conditions are inconsistent and often come from the occupation army or prison administration. The organizations stressed that these responses are currently the only available means to ascertain the fate of detainees from Gaza, facilitated by recent legal amendments.
Mohammed Rashid Akka, a father of ten, was detained on November 15, 2023, and died in the Negev prison. His family reported that Akka had no prior health issues. Samir al-Kahlout was detained from Kamal Adwan Hospital on October 25, 2024, shortly after undergoing major surgery. Despite doctors' attempts to prevent his detention, he died a week later in Israeli custody.
Zuhair Al-Sharif was detained while working in the 1948-occupied territories on October 7, 2023, and died on October 18, 2023. His family's claims of prior good health and inconsistent reports from authorities have raised further questions about his treatment. Muhammad Anwar Labad, detained on November 18, 2024, suffered from pre-existing health conditions, including liver cirrhosis and diabetes, before his death on November 27, 2024.
PPS and the Commission have called for urgent international intervention, asserting that the conditions of Palestinian detainees are reflective of a broader genocidal policy by Israeli authorities. They warned that the number of deaths could rise as detainees continue to face systematic abuse, including torture, neglect, and other forms of mistreatment.
The organizations highlighted the ongoing issue of enforced disappearances, with hundreds of detainees from Gaza unaccounted for. As of early December, Israeli prisons hold over 10,300 detainees, including women and children, with more than 3,400 detained administratively without charge.
The PPS and the Commission's statement underscores the urgent need for international human rights bodies to hold Israeli leaders accountable for actions against Palestinian detainees, which they classify as war crimes. The situation remains critical, with the potential for further escalation as detainees are reportedly subjected to increasingly harsh conditions.
