Palestinian prisoners vow steps in support of cancer-stricken Daqqa

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies + Al Mayadeen Net
7 May 23:18
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The steps are set to be implemented in all Israeli occupation prisons, most notably in "Nafha" and Al-Naqab prisons.

Palestinian activists demonstrating in occupied "Haifa" in support of prisoner Walid Daqqa (Jarmaq)

Sources told the Handala Center for Detainees and Ex-Detainees that Palestinian prisoners in Israeli occupation prisons will take protest steps on Sunday and Monday in support of cancer-stricken prisoner Walid Daqqa.

The sources pointed out that these steps consist of wearing the Shabas uniform and presenting a set of demands to the so-called Israeli Prisons Authority, including the lifting of penalties imposed on Daqqa, providing the prisoner with treatment, diagnosing his health condition, and providing accurate details about it.

The sources pointed out that the steps will be implemented in all Israeli occupation prisons, most notably in "Nafha" and Al-Naqab prisons.

On Saturday, a crowd of activists demonstrated in occupied "Haifa" in support of Daqqa, who is in critical health condition in "Barzilai" Hospital in Askalan, calling for his release to be able to receive the treatment that he deserves.

The participants raised pictures of the prisoner and slogans calling for his freedom and his release and repeated chants calling for the freedom of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli occupation prisons.

مراسلة الجرمق: تظاهرة في مدينة حيفا للمطالبة بإطلاق سراح الأسير المريض وليد دقة. pic.twitter.com/To4m5A5Vil
— الجرمق الإخباري (@aljarmaqnet) May 6, 2023

Last week, the Palestinian Ministry of Detainees and Ex-Detainess in Gaza considered that the transfer of Daqqa to the "Ramleh" prison clinic, in light of the seriousness of his health condition, confirms the occupation's insistence on its continuous crime of killing the prisoner, in a slow and systematic manner.

It also held the occupation fully responsible for the life of Daqqa -- who was diagnosed with a rare form of bone marrow cancer in 2022 and has since been in dire need of urgent medical attention.

On its part, the Palestinian Waed Prisoners Association said the Israeli occupation "took a clear-cut decision to execute and kill prisoner Walid Daqqa with cold blood without caring for all the calls regarding his freedom nor his reception of treatment to help ease his extreme pain."

The Association pointed out that the prisoner needs intensive health follow-up after he underwent an operation to extract part of his lung, as a result of severe infection.

Prior to that, the representative of the Commission of Detainees Affairs, Abdul Qadir Al-Khatib, said the health condition of Palestinian prisoner Walid Daqqa is worsening, and he is no longer recuperating and responding to his treatment.

It is noteworthy that Daqqa, 60, from the city of Baqa Al-Gharbiyye, has been detained since 1986 and was sentenced to life imprisonment on charges of resisting the occupation. His sentence was later decreased to 37 years.

In 2018, two years were added to his sentence, and a few years ago, his wife, Sanaa Salameh, was able to give birth to their daughter, Milad, after smuggling Daqqa's sperm from prison.

Daqqa is considered one of the most prominent writers and thinkers of the Palestinian Captive Movement.

According to institutions concerned with prisoners' affairs, more than 4,000 Palestinians are currently detained in Israeli occupation prisons.