4 more Palestinian detainees from Gaza die in Israeli jails: Rights groups

By Qais Abu Samra

RAMALLAH, Palestine (AA) – Four more Palestinian detainees from Gaza have died in Israeli custody, prisoners’ affairs groups said on Monday.

A statement by the Commission of Detainees’ Affairs and the Palestinian Prisoner Society identified the four victims as Mohammad Al-Akka, 44, Samir Al-Kahlout, 52, Zuhair Al-Sharif, 58, and Mohammad Lubbad, 57.

Their death came one day after another detainee breathed his last in Israeli detention on Sunday.

"What is happening to the detainees is just another aspect of the (Israeli) war of extermination,” the statement said.

The new fatalities brought the number of Palestinian detainees who died in Israeli custody since Oct. 7, 2023 to 54, according to Palestinian figures.

Palestinians estimate that there are over 10,000 people held in Israeli jails. The figure, however, does not include those arrested from the Gaza Strip whose numbers are estimated to be in the thousands.

Israel has killed more than 45,500 people in Gaza since a Hamas attack on Oct. 7, 2023, and reduced the enclave to rubble.

In November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar