110 new COVID-19 cases among Palestinian prisoners
3 Min Read
Palestinian parties warn against the Israeli Prisons Service's medical neglect against prisoners, as the number of infected prisoners with COVID-19 is on the rise.
-
The Prisoners Information Office warned that the spread of the virus inside prisons endangers the lives of prisoners.
The Palestinian Prisoners Club reported Sunday that 110 prisoners were infected with COVID-19 in the "Eshel" and "Ofer" prisons.
For its part, the Prisoners Information Office stated that the Israeli Prisons Service has completely closed Section 22 in the "Ofer" prison, as the number of infected prisoners is expected to rise.
The Information Office warned that the spread of the virus inside prisons endangers the lives of prisoners, holding the Israeli occupation responsible for the outcomes.
The Office also called on human rights and international institutions to take urgent action and to visit the Israeli prisons to bear witness to the prisoners' conditions following the outbreak of the COVID-19 virus again.
For his part, the Director of the Prisoners Information Office, Nahed Al-Fakhoury, said during press statements that the increasing number of infected prisoners and the expansion of the virus in the prisons of “Damon, Ofer, Al-Naqab, Ramon, and Eshel” warn of a great danger surrounding the prisoners in light of the deliberate medical negligence practiced by the Israeli Prisons Service.
Al-Fakhoury also called for solidarity and support for the prisoners, urging all concerned parties to pressure the Israeli occupation to release them.
Increasing COVID-19 cases among prisoners reflect medical negligence
In the same context, Hamas Movement Spokesperson Hazem Qassem highlighted that the increasing cases of infected prisoners reflect medical negligence against them, holding the Israeli occupation fully responsible.
Qassem indicated that the so-called Israeli Prisons Service wants to add new sufferings to prisoners, who already suffer from Israeli abuses.
The Spokesperson called on human rights institutions and the International Committee of the Red Cross to urgently provide the necessary means to protect the prisoners and prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Earlier, the Prisoners Information Office announced that six Palestinian prisoners were infected with COVID-19 in the “Eshel” prison, and five prisoners tested positive in Section 22 in the "Ofer" prison.
It is noteworthy that five human rights organizations had submitted a petition at the Israeli occupation Supreme Court against the refusal of Israeli Security Minister Benny Gantz to vaccinate Palestinian prisoners against COVID-19.
