Walid Daqqa on deathbed, over 750 other prisoners ill: Waed
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The Waed Prisoners' Affairs Association says Palestinian prisoner Walid Daqqa is on his deathbed as the Israeli occupation refuses to take action.
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Palestinian prisoner Walid Daqqa.
More than 750 Palestinian prisoners are suffering from chronic and serious illnesses while behind bars, including 23 cancer-stricken patients, the Waed Prisoners' Affairs Association reported on Thursday.
The association stated that the number of sick prisoners increasing is confirmation that "the deliberate medical neglect against them has reached its worst stages, especially in recent months."
"The occupation deliberately rejects most of the requests made by the prisoners for medical tests, surgeries, and being transferred to clinics," the association added.
Bone marrow cancer-stricken prisoner Walid Daqqa, whom the Israeli authorities refuse to release, is now in his final days after undergoing a lung resection and cardiac catheterization, and his body is not responding to chemotherapy, which was administered very late.
Walid Daqqa 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.
Comprehensive negligence
In addition to Daqqa, prisoner Asif Al-Rifai, 20, is considered one of the most severe medical cases in Israeli prisons. Recent tests revealed that cancer spread to the majority of his body and that he is suffering psychologically in light of a destroyed morale.
Read more: Cancer-stricken Palestinian, 20, in IOF prison fighting for his life
The Waed association underlined that the so-called "clinic" in Ramla prison has become the worst and most brutal place inside the prisons. Sick prisoners prefer not to stay there despite their urgent need for treatment and care. However, the practices in the clinic clearly indicate that there are instructions to harm the prisoners in the most efficient ways possible.
Numerous reports have spoken about the Ramla prison clinic, which Palestinian prisoners describe as a "slaughterhouse," as it lacks all basic health standards and is considered worse than the prison itself.
Case transferred to Parole Board
On Wednesday, an Israeli occupation early release committee rejected a new request to release Daqqa, despite his deteriorating health condition, claiming that the case was not within its jurisdiction.
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in Palestine reported that prisoner Daqqa's case was transferred to Parole Board, which looks into life imprisonment cases, despite the prisoner having already finished his sentence.
On her part, Daqqa's wife, Sanaa Salameh, told Al Mayadeen that the Israeli occupation is deliberately subjecting the prisoner to the policy of systematic medical negligence which is an attempt at his assassination.
Salameh also told Palestine Today that her husband is not receiving the necessary treatment despite, his critical health condition after being exposed to contamination during surgery due to medical negligence.
Last week, the Palestinian Ministry of Detainees and Ex-Detainees confirmed that Israeli occupation authorities returned the cancer-stricken prisoner to the "Ramla" prison clinic, just days after he was transferred to "Assaf Harofeh" hospital due to his deteriorating health condition.
It also held the occupation responsible for the Palestinian prisoner's life.
