'Slow death': Lives of 160 Palestinian prisoners in danger

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
29 Jun 12:50
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The Palestinian Prisoners Center for Studies warned that dozens of Palestinian prisoners may die inside the Israeli prisons if they are not provided with medical care.

More than 700 Palestinian prisoners suffer from severe illnesses.

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

Director of the Palestinian Prisoners Center for Studies, researcher Riyad al-Ashqar, stated that 160 Palestinian prisoners, who suffer from chronic diseases, face “slow death” due to medical negligence by Israeli prison authorities.

See more: How many Palestinians are illegally imprisoned by “Israel”?

Al-Ashqar went on to say that Israeli prison authorities deprive the prisoners of their right to treatment, delaying the provision of medicine or their transfer to hospital, not to mention subjecting them to physical and psychological torture.

Furthermore, he indicated that more than 700 Palestinian prisoners suffer from severe illnesses. Of that number, 160 suffer from chronic diseases including cancer, heart diseases, blood pressure, and diabetes, and from various disabilities (physical, mental, psychological, and sensory).

It is worth noting that the majority of the prisons are old and do not meet international standards for size and architecture; insects and rodents abound, and the climate is harsh.

The Director of the Palestinian Prisoners Center for Studies has also highlighted that Freedom Tunnel prisoner Yaqoub Qadri was diagnosed with thyroid cancer in the "Eshel" prison and was transferred to the Ramla prison clinic.

Al-Ashqar, decrying the criminal mistreatment, accused the Israeli occupation of mass murder of Palestinian prisoners.

This day, around 4,600 Palestinian prisoners are being held in Israeli jails, including 200 children and 36 women. Of that number, 500 prisoners are in administrative detention, according to the Palestinian prisoners’ rights group Addameer.

Palestinian prisoners are incarcerated in deplorable conditions and subjected to inhumane treatment. Human rights organizations have documented a variety of physical and psychological abuses, including arbitrary beatings, excessive use of solitary confinement, and denial of family visits for years.