Prisoners Club: Cancer-sick prisoner Nasser Abu Hmeid battling death

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The Palestinian Prisoners Club said Thursday that Nasser Abu Hmeid, a critically-ill Palestinian prisoner and cancer patient serving a life sentence in Israeli occupation prisons, is currently battling death due to his worsening health condition.

In a statement, the Prisoners Club indicated that Abu Hmeid is battling death, adding that a press conference will be held this evening to discuss his case.

On its part, Wa’ed Prisoners Association warned that Abu Hmied has reached a dangerous stage, noting that cancer has spread to the prisoner’s body about a year and a half ago.

The Association underlined that the Israeli occupation committed a crime of systematic medical negligence against Abu Hmeid with the aim of slowly killing him.

It pointed out that the Israeli "Asaf Harofeh" hospital relinquished its medical responsibility for the cancer-stricken prisoner and recommended his release, while the move came after Abu Hmeid entered the clinical death stage.

On its part, the Ministry of Prisoners in Gaza indicated that cancer spread to Abu Hmeid's brain and bones after it was only concentrated in his lungs, explaining that the fast spread of cancer in the prisoner's body came as a result of the Israeli delay and procrastination in providing Abu Hmeid with the necessary treatment until his body became no longer responsive to any possible treatment.

Read more: The Policy of Neglect; Behind the Walls of the Occupation Prisons

The Ministry mentioned that a doctor informed the prisoner's lawyer that he would issue a report that suggests releasing the prisoner, as it was not feasible for him to be in the hospital, warning of Abu Hmeid's martyrdom at any moment.

Earlier this year,  Abu Hmeid, 49, from Amari refugee camp in Ramallah, entered a coma after suffering from severe inflammation of the lungs as a result of bacterial contamination.

Last month, the Commission of Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs said a tumor detected in Abu Hmeid’s head was due to Israeli negligence and failure to deal with the prisoner's health condition at an earlier stage.

The Commission had previously reported that Abu Hmeid had undergone chemotherapy sessions until his health was rapidly deteriorating and entered a critical and dangerous stage. 

Abu Hmeid's family has previously urged all parties of concern to take urgent action to save the prisoner's life and called on the masses to continue their popular support.

The Prisoners and Ex-Prisoners Affairs Commission had urged all human rights organizations and international institutions to urgently intervene and pressure the Israeli occupation to release Abu Hmeid.

Abu Hmeid has been in Israeli occupation prisons since 2002 and is serving seven life sentences and an additional 50 years. He is one of five siblings serving life sentences in Israeli occupation prisons.

Read more: Protest in solidarity with Palestinian prisoner Nasser Abu Hamid

Medical neglect kills Palestinian man detained in occupation prisons

It is noteworthy that on Saturday, the Palestinian Prisoners Information Office announced that 40-year-old prisoner Moussa Abu Mahamid, from the village of Beit Ta'mar, east of Beit Lahm, is martyred.

Abu Mahamid was infected with an unknown germ inside the Israeli prison, and his treatment was delayed by the Israeli prison authorities, resulting in the deterioration of his health, according to local sources.

Prisoner Abu Mahamid was martyred in the "Assaf Harofeh" hospital as a result of the occupation's policy of medical negligence, according to the Palestinian Prisoners Information Office.

The Palestinian Prisoners Club held the occupation fully responsible for the martyrdom of Moussa Abu Mahamid.

Medical neglect kills prisoner Saadia Matar in Israeli 'Damon' prison

On July 2,  local sources announced that female Palestinian prisoner Saadia Matar died in the Israeli "Damon" prison.

Matar was 68 years old and from Al-Khalil.

The PR director of Muhjat Al-Quds Foundation confirmed in an interview for Al Mayadeen that Matar was martyred as a result of illness and medical negligence.

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Matar was arrested by the occupation forces in 2021 after a settler beat her as she was crossing the street near Al-Ibrahimi Mosque, claiming that she tried to stab him.

In this context, the Prisoners Information Office said the martyred captive was brutally assaulted and severely beaten during her arrest, which deteriorated her health condition that was further exacerbated by medical neglect.

The Palestinian Prisoners Center for Studies warned, in a detailed statement, that the lives of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons are in real danger, especially under the Israeli policy of deliberate medical negligence.

The center warned that dozens of Palestinian prisoners may die inside the Israeli prisons if they are not provided with the necessary medical care.

Prisoner Sami Al-Ammour dies in Israeli prison due to medical neglect

In mid-November, 2021, the Palestinian Prisoners Club confirmed the martyrdom of prisoner Sami Al-Ammour, from the city of Deir Al-Balah in Gaza, as a result of the policy of medical neglect inside Israeli prisons.

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In a statement, the Prisoners Club confirmed that Al-Ammour was martyred inside the Israeli "Soroka" prison hospital.

The statement added that the martyr had been detained in the Israeli occupation prisons since 2008, with a sentence of 19 years in prison.

The policy of neglect

In violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention and others, the Israeli occupation pursues a policy of medical neglect against Palestinian prisoners who are continuously subjected to torment and maltreatment.

Behind the walls of the Israeli occupation prisons, Palestinians are always exposed to aggression and brutality under Israeli occupation. As a result of neglect and abuse, some freed prisoners with forsaken medical cases are reported dead shortly after their release, and others are reported dead inside the prison.

The methods to weaken both the will and the body are a tragic duality practiced amid an Israeli political and judicial system that legitimizes torture and psychological pressure against Palestinian prisoners.

Read more: The Policy of Neglect; Behind the Walls of the Occupation Prisons