Palestinian Commission for Prisoners, Ex-Detainees Affairs raises alarm over ongoing medical neglect of Palestinian detainees in Israeli prisons
Date
12/16/2024 5:34:34 AM
(MENAFN) The Palestinian Commission for Prisoners and Ex-Detainees Affairs has raised alarm over the ongoing medical neglect of Palestinian detainees in Israeli prisons. In a statement issued on Sunday, the Commission highlighted recent cases of detainees in serious medical conditions, after visits by its legal representatives to several prisons, including those in Negev (south) and Gilboa (north). Among the detainees, Rafiq Kabaj from Tulkarm, held in Gilboa prison, suffers from a heart condition involving weakness in the heart's envelope, which causes frequent heart attacks. Prior to his arrest, Kabaj was receiving treatment and medication to regulate his heart rate, but since his imprisonment, the prison authorities have failed to provide him with the necessary care.
Another case raised by the Commission is that of Saeb Khamaisa from Jenin, detained in the Negev prison. Khamaisa has been suffering from scabies since August, and his condition has worsened significantly. He is enduring intense pain, with the added complication of spreading boils across his body, causing him to lose approximately 15 kilograms of weight. Rashad Karajah from Safa, near Ramallah, also held in the Negev prison, faces worsening health problems, particularly in winter. Karajah had pre-existing back issues, but the cold conditions in the Negev desert have exacerbated his pain, leading to further complications and a dramatic weight loss of around 45 kilograms.
The Palestinian Authority has placed full responsibility for the medical neglect on the Israeli Prison Administration and called for international intervention. It urged human rights organizations and the Red Cross to take stronger action to address the plight of Palestinian detainees. As of December, over 10,300 Palestinian prisoners are held in Israeli jails, alongside hundreds of detainees from Gaza who are incommunicado, facing enforced disappearance. Reports from human rights groups have indicated deteriorating conditions in Israeli prisons, especially in the notorious Sde Timan facility in southern Israel, since the escalation of violence in Gaza following the outbreak of the war on October 7, 2023.
During Israel’s ground offensive in Gaza that began on November 27, thousands of Palestinian civilians, including women, children, and emergency responders, were arrested. Meanwhile, Israel continues its deadly campaign against Gaza, which has claimed more than 151,000 lives and left thousands of people missing, amidst widespread destruction and a famine that has killed many, including children and the elderly. Despite international arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Galant on November 21 for alleged war crimes, Israel’s government has continued its operations without consequence.
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