A Palestinian security prisoner died in Israeli Gilboa prison from a heart attack, the Palestinian Commission of Detainees’ Affairs and the Palestinian Prisoners Society have said. The death of Imad Rajeh Sarhan, 47, occurred on Saturday, the groups confirmed on Sunday. He was from Haifa, a coastal city in northern Israel, and had been detained since Oct. 15, 2001.
Health Deterioration
Sarhan suffered from vascular diseases and high blood pressure and became a wheelchair user in recent years due to his declining health. The rights groups accused Israeli authorities of medical neglect and systematic abuse against Sarhan and other prisoners, according to Palestine News Agency.
Statistics and Legislation
As of May 2023, there are 9,361 Palestinian security prisoners in Israeli jails. At least 98 have died due to the harsh conditions they have lived under since October 2023. Israeli lawmakers passed a law in May legalizing the death penalty for Palestinian convicts involved in deadly attacks against Israelis. Last week, they proposed a bill that would impose a blanket ban on representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross from entering Israeli prisons and visiting Palestinian detainees.
