UPDATE - Palestinian detainee dies in Israeli prison

UPDATES WITH REACTIONS

RAMALLAH, Palestine (AA) – A Palestinian detainee held in Israel died on Tuesday due to medical negligence, according to a local NGO.

"Nassar Taqatqa, 31, died in the Israeli prison of Nitzan after he was held in solitary confinement," the Palestinian Prisoner Society said in a statement.

Taqatqa was detained a month ago in an Israeli raid on his family home in the town of Beit Fajjar near the West Bank city of Bethlehem.

According to the NGO, Taqatqa was being interrogated when he was declared dead.

The cause of his death remains unclear.

According to his family, Taqatqa did not suffer any medical or health problems.

The detainee's demise has drawn fire from the Palestinian Foreign Ministry, which demanded an investigation by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) into the death.

In a statement, the ministry held the Israeli government fully responsible for Taqatqa's death.

Palestinian group Hamas, which rules the blockaded Gaza Strip, called for forming an international investigation panel to "reveal to the whole world the details of Taqatqa's torture".

"The martyrdom of Taqatqa highlights once again the criminal face of the [Israeli] occupation in dealing with our prisoners," Hamas said in a statement.

Meanwhile, dozens of Palestinians staged rallies in the West Bank city of Ramallah to protest Israeli violations against Palestinian prisoners.

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

Around 220 Palestinian detainees are estimated to have died in Israeli prisons since 1967, some of whom had passed away shortly after being released from detention.

Over 5,500 Palestinians are currently languishing in prisons located throughout Israel, according to Palestinian official figures.