An Israeli court sentenced detainees Raed Al Hotari to twenty-two
consecutive life-terms after accusing him of involvement in a Tel Aviv
suicide bombing in June 2002. Twenty-three Israelis were killed and 150
were injured in the attack.
The bombing was carried out by a Hamas member identified as Sa'id Al Hotari, member of the Al Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas.
Al Hotari is suffering a sickness in his eyes, and is gradually losing his sight especially since he is not receiving the needed medical treatment and attention.
His lawyer said that there were no convicting evidences against his client for the claimed involvement in the bombing.
The wife of Al Hotari appealed Human Rights groups to ensure that her husband receives the needed medical care, and said that her husband along with all sick detainees, and the detainees who spent many years in detention should be included in any prisoner swap deal between Israel and fighters holding the Israeli soldier, Gilad Shalit, captive.
Israel holds nearly 10.000 Palestinians prisoner in several prisons and detention facilities, among them some 350 children and 180 women.
According to reports of the Palestinian Prisoner Society (PPS), at least 950 detainees are sick and need immediate medical attention and treatment; 15 detainees suffer from Cancer, and 250 detainees became handicapped after being shot and injured by the army before they were taken prisoner; 25 of them are paralyzed, and 45 are suffering from nervous breakdown and suffer from psychological problems due to extreme torture during interrogation.
Since 2000, ten detainees died in prison as a result of medical neglect and torture. The latest casualty was Bashar Bani Odeh, 27, from Tammoun near the West Bank city of Tubas. He died on June 23, 2005, the PPS reported.
