Palestinian Minister of Prisoners’ Affairs, Issa Qaraqe, has warned that sick Palestinian prisoners are facing death in Israeli prisons, due to deliberate medical negligence by the Israeli prison administration.The ministry official stated that ‘prisoners jail cells have turned into their graves’, according to WAFA Palestinian News & Info Agency.
During a visit to the family of Khader Dababat, a prisoner who was sentenced to 16 years imprisonment by Israel, Mr. Qaraqi stressed that prisoners’ alarming health conditions are extremely worrisome.
Khader was shot by Israeli forces during his arrest, and has undergone difficult conditions during his detention, including two years of solitary confinement, during which he was also physically assaulted, aggravating his health condition.
Qaraqi stressed that ‘prisoners are semi-alive and are suffering from extremely dangerous health conditions’.
He has called upon all relevant rights organizations to intervene in putting an end to the suffering continuously faced by Palestinian prisoners.
He additionally stated that the number of sick prisoners detained in by Israel has now reached some 1,500 — of whom at least 80 prisoners are suffering from serious health problems and do not receive the necessary treatment. These prisonees suffer from malignant diseases, paralysis, and disabilities, in addition to cases of mental illness and neurological disorder.
Qaraqi also visited the families of several other prisoners, including that of released prioner Nawal al-Saadi, who was released after spending two years in Israeli jails.
Al-Saadi’s two sons were killed by Israeli forces, and she has appealed to a number of organizations for intervention and solidarity with female prisoners who are suffering from ill-treatment by IPS administration and their employees.
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