Walid Daqqa's family sounds alarm, fearing for son's life

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
6 Dec 2023 12:29

The family of bone marrow cancer-stricken prisoner Walid Daqqa warns that "Israel" has denied communication with him for over two months.

Cancer-stricken prisoner Walid Daqqa in Israeli jails (Social media)

The Palestinian Prisoners Club urgently released a statement on behalf of the family of the bone marrow cancer-stricken Palestinian prisoner Walid Daqqa in Israeli prisons, revealing that his health had further deteriorated and stating that they have been denied communication with him for over two months.

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

The family confirmed that "after being prevented from communicating with the prisoner Walid Daqqa for over two months, even during the session of the Supreme Occupation's Court to consider the appeal submitted for his release on the 20th of last month, we learned today, through lawyer Nadia Daqqa, and following a call from an officer in the Israeli occupation's prison service that the prisoner Walid Daqqa was covertly transferred since last Sunday, December 2, 2023, to HaEmek Medical Center in Afula."

The Palestinian Youth Movement organized a series of protests in North America and the UK advocating for the release of Walid Daqqa, a #Palestinian prisoner suffering from cancer.#Palestine @palyouthmvmt pic.twitter.com/rvyoX4j1ik
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) July 19, 2023

The family added that they have no information about Walid except that he has a blood disorder, clarifying that they learned about this information coincidentally while trying to submit a visit request by the lawyer.

The family appealed to various organizations, legal institutions, and the International Red Cross to intervene urgently to ensure Walid's prompt family and medical visits and to advocate for his immediate release. This plea is particularly crucial as he completed his actual sentence on March 24, 2023, and is grappling with a severe health condition caused by a rare form of cancer.

Walid Daqqa is a Palestinian writer, intellectual, and organizer who has been imprisoned in Israeli jails for 37 years, making him one of the longest-held Palestinian prisoners.

Today, members from the transnational Palestinian Youth Movement gathered outside the Israeli embassy… pic.twitter.com/wLZ04ghpP9
— MintPress News (@MintPressNews) July 8, 2023

This is happening as Israeli occupation forces arrested at least 3,390 Palestinians including children across the occupied West Bank since October 7, 260 during temporary pauses, according to local non-governmental organizations (NGOs).

Continuous suffering under Israeli occupation

Walid's family used to visit him twice every month to check on his condition and stay informed about his health continuously. They repeatedly emphasized that his health situation was deteriorating, and he remained under medical supervision. His family made efforts to closely monitor his medical care to prevent any further neglect of his health.

Recently, the Israeli parole committee decided not to release the prisoner Daqqa. In response, his family and the campaign advocating for his release affirmed their intention to appeal the decision denying early release to the occupation's Central Court.

Walid Daqqa (60 years), from the city of Baqa al-Gharbia, has been detained since 1986 and sentenced to life imprisonment, which was later set at 37 years. An Israeli court later added two more years to his sentence.

The daughter of Walid Daqqa, a Palestinian detainee who is suffering from bone marrow cancer, celebrated her father's 62nd birthday alone with her mother.
Daqqa, who has been detained since 1986, was diagnosed with the rare form of cancer several months ago. pic.twitter.com/Owu4M7eT9j
— PALESTINE ONLINE 🇵🇸 (@OnlinePalEng) July 19, 2023

Daqqa married his wife Sanaa Salameh in 1999, and in 2020, their daughter was conceived by smuggling Daqqa's sperm from prison.