Palestinian prisoner dies of medical neglect in Ofer prison

Wa'ed Prisoners Commission confirmed the martyrdom of the prisoner Dawood Talaat Al-Khatib from Bethlehem at Ofer prison near Ramallah.

The Palestinian Prisoner Society (PPS) said that Khatib died of a heart attack. Khatib, 45, suffered from bad health conditions during his arrest, it said, adding that he suffered a stroke several years ago and underwent an open heart surgery.

His continued detention has contributed to the deterioration of his health that coupled with medical neglect in the zionist regime’s prisons led to his untimely death, the PPS elaborated.

According to PPS, 225 Palestinians have martyred while in the zionist regime’s custody since 1967. 

It renewed its demand for the release of all sick prisoners in the occupation prisons especially due to spread of the Coronavirus.

The occupation forces arrested Khatib on 2/4/2001 after they besieged his house in Bethlehem and he was scheduled to complete his sentence and be freed this coming December.

Wa'ed called on all Palestinian factions to reject the occupation's narrative about the circumstances of Khatib’s martyrdom and called on the International Committee of the Red Cross to investigate his death.

Tension mounted in Ofer prison after news of Khatib’s death as prison guards raided the cells to quell prisoners’ protests and sprayed them with gas. (ILKHA)