70-year-old Gaza detainee dies in Israeli prison, adding to rising prisoner death toll
DaysofPal – A 70-year-old Palestinian man from Gaza, Muhammad Ibrahim Abu Habel, died in Israeli custody on January 10, according to a joint statement released by the Detainees and Ex-Detainees' Affairs Commission and the Palestinian Prisoner Society (PPS).
Abu Habel, a father of 11, had been detained by Israeli occupation forces (IOF) on November 12, 2024, at the 'Civil Administration' checkpoint.
His death brings the number of Palestinians who have died in Israeli detention since the beginning of Israel's ongoing assault on Gaza to at least 71, including 45 from the besieged territory. Rights groups warn that this reflects a worsening pattern of systemic abuse and 'organized crimes' against Palestinian prisoners.
'This marks the deadliest period in the history of the Palestinian prisoners' movement since 1967,' the statement said, noting that a total of 308 Palestinian detainees have died in Israeli custody over the decades.
The Commission and PPS highlighted an alarming trend of torture, medical neglect, starvation, and sexual violence in Israeli detention facilities, particularly targeting detainees from Gaza.
'Torture remains the primary cause of death among detainees,' the statement asserted, adding that many are also subjected to inhumane treatment and denial of medical care.
Testimonies from released detainees describe harrowing conditions and daily mistreatment. The rights groups emphasized that many deaths occur under opaque circumstances, with Israeli authorities often issuing 'limited and contradictory' official explanations. In some cases, families and legal representatives had to fight simply to confirm whether a detainee was alive.
The two groups also expressed concern about the worsening circumstances facing over 10,400 Palestinians who are incarcerated in Israeli facilities.
These include 2,214 Palestinians from Gaza who have been classified as 'illegal combatants,' 49 women, more than 440 children, and 3,562 administrative detainees who have been detained without charge or trial. These figures exclude an unknown number of detainees held in secretive Israeli military camps.
Calling for accountability, the commission and PPS held Israel 'fully responsible' for Abu Habel's death. They renewed their demand for an independent international investigation into the treatment of Palestinian detainees and urged global human rights bodies to take action.
'It is time to break the exceptional immunity granted to Israel,' the groups stated, calling for serious international steps, including sanctions and isolation, to hold Israel accountable for violations of international law and human rights.
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