Palestinian detainee loses life in Israel

By Qais Abu Samra

RAMALLAH, Palestine (AA) – A Palestinian prisoner died in Israel on Tuesday, with Palestinians blaming medical negligence for his death, according to local authorities.

In a statement, the Commission of Detainees Affairs said Nasser Abu Hamid, 50, breathed his last at the Israeli Assaf Harofeh Hospital.

The commission said the Israeli policy of medical negligence by prison authorities was to blame for the detainee’s death.

The new death brought to 233 detainees who had died inside Israeli prisons since 1967, including 74 as a result of medical negligence, according to the Palestinian Prisoner Society NGO.

There was no comment from Israeli authorities on the detainee’s death.

In detention since 2002, Abu Hamid, from Al-Amari camp in Ramallah, was sentenced to life by Israel for allegedly resisting the Israeli occupation and participating in founding the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, blacklisted by Israel.

He was rushed from his Ramla Prison on Monday to hospital where he breathed his last.

According to Palestinian NGOs, there are around 4,700 Palestinian detainees in Israeli jails, including at least 600 sick prisoners.

* Ikram Imane Kouachi contributed to this report