Nablus:Israeli authorities handed over the body of Palestinian prisoner Marwan Fathi Harzallah on Thursday. Harzallah, from the al-Ein refugee camp in Nablus, had been in Israeli custody since January 2026 and died in Megiddo Prison in March 2026.
According to Palestine News and Information Agency – WAFA, Harzallah had been detained on charges of 'incitement.' His death was attributed by prisoner advocacy organizations to the denial of necessary medical treatment by Israeli authorities. These organizations hold the Israeli prison administration responsible for his death, citing systematic violations against Palestinian prisoners.
The handover of Harzallah’s body leaves 99 bodies of Palestinian prisoners who died in Israeli custody still withheld by Israeli authorities. This includes 88 prisoners who have died since the onset of what is described as a genocidal war. Overall, hundreds of Palestinian bodies remain withheld, with the fate of many detainees from the Gaza Strip still unknown.
Prisoner affairs institutions have highlighted that withholding the bodies of Palestinians prevents families from knowing the fate of their loved ones and denies them the opportunity to bid farewell and conduct dignified burials. They assert that this practice continues the violations against Palestinians even in death.
These institutions have called upon the international community to take action to stop the withholding of bodies and to disclose the fate of all missing and detained Palestinians. They urge for the return of bodies to families to allow burials to occur with dignity and without any conditions or restrictions.