RAMALLAH, Palestine: Two Palestinian organizations, the Palestinian Commission of Detainees’ Affairs and the Palestinian Prisoners’ Club, announced the death of Mohammed Munir Moussa, a 37-year-old Palestinian detainee from Bethlehem, in an Israeli hospital.
Moussa, who had been suffering from diabetes, was detained by Israeli authorities in April 2023. The circumstances surrounding his death remain unclear, and Palestinian officials are awaiting further information.
The death of Moussa brings the total number of Palestinian prisoners who have died in Israeli custody since the Gaza war began on October 7, 2023, to 41, according to Palestinian sources. Of these, 24 were from Gaza. In total, 278 Palestinians have died in Israeli prisons since Israel’s occupation of the West Bank in 1967.
The issue of detainees has become a critical aspect of the ongoing conflict, especially following the attack by Hamas, which led to a large number of arrests by Israeli authorities. Palestinian officials accuse Israel of mistreating detainees, and the death of Moussa has raised further concerns about the treatment of prisoners. Additionally, the release of Palestinian prisoners remains a key demand by Hamas in exchange for Israeli hostages held in Gaza.
