GAZA, (PIC)
A report by Haaretz, a Hebrew newspaper, suggested that six Palestinian prisoners have died in Israeli jails from violence or medical neglect since the start of the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip.
At least two of the six Palestinian detainees who have died in Israeli custody since the ongoing war began on October 7 were found with bruises on their bodies, Haaretz said in a report on Wednesday.
Four of the six died in Israeli prisons, while two died in military detention facilities.
Two were found with bruises, while evidence suggests four died from violence preceding their deaths or from medical neglect.
Abdul-Rahman Maree, 33, died in Megiddo Prison on November 13. An autopsy 10 days after his death showed signs of trauma on his chest and that his ribs and sternum were broken.
Signs of external injuries were also seen on his head, neck, back, left arm, and thigh.
Thaer Abu Assab, 38, died in Ktzi’ot Prison on November 18.
His family demanded an autopsy and an investigation into the cause of his death, claiming that it was not natural.
According to the Haaretz report, Israeli authorities said an autopsy had already been carried out two days after his death, without his family being notified. They added that a verdict had not been reached on the cause of death.
Omar al-Atshan, a Palestinian teenager freed last week in prisoner exchanges during the week-long truce, said Abu Assab was beaten to death in custody.
Palestinian prisoner Omar Hamzeh Daraghmeh, 58, died in custody on 23 October. He was detained just two days after the war broke out.
Daraghmeh’s lawyer told Haaretz that a hearing took place on the day of his death, in which the detainee said he felt okay, but the situation in the prison was “difficult” due to “violent” Israeli officers.
Arafat Hamdan, 25, died a day later in circumstances that remain unclear. His father told Haaretz that Hamdan suffered from diabetes, but was not given medicine as regularly as he required.
The two other detainees to die were Raja Samour, 46, and Majed Zakol, 32.
Both were Palestinian workers from Gaza who were detained in the occupied West Bank after Israel cancelled the work permits of all those from Gaza, following the outbreak of war.
Most workers were kept in detention facilities, before being transferred back to Gaza in November.
Testimonies obtained by Haaretz suggest Samour, who also suffered from diabetes, died after not receiving treatment he had requested while in detention.
The cause of death of Zakol, who was reportedly a cancer patient, remains unclear. Both of their bodies are still held by Israeli authorities.
