Israeli courts postpone the release of cancer-stricken prisoner Daqqa

An Israeli court has postponed the early release of prisoner Walid Daqqa, whose health severely deteriorated in recent weeks, as announced on Monday.

The Ministry of Detainees and Ex-Detainees’ Affairs explained in a statement that the occupation court’s decision comes in line with the extremist directives of the Israeli Police Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir.

The ministry added that the decision is yet another proof of the lack of integrity within the Israeli judicial system, which has become subservient to the Israeli security apparatus and its right-wing government. 

It called upon international organizations to immediately and urgently intervene in order to save the life of Daqqa, in order to circumvent the deliberate medical neglect that he is facing during his detainment in occupation prisons.

The Palestinian Youth Movement organized a series of protests in North America and the UK advocating for the release of Walid Daqqa, a #Palestinian prisoner suffering from cancer.#Palestine @palyouthmvmt pic.twitter.com/rvyoX4j1ik

— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) July 19, 2023

An Israeli special court committee had decided earlier not to release Daqqa, even after a medical expert of the Israeli prison service determined that the cancer-stricken Palestinian’s life was in danger.

Daqqa has been detained by occupation forces for 38 years and suffers from a rare bone marrow cancer known as myelofibrosis. He is currently being held in the occupied Palestinian city of Ramleh at the “Ayalon Prison” hospital.

It is worth noting that Sheikh Khader Adnan, an administrative prisoner, was martyred in May due to continued detainment that disregarded Adnan’s severely deteriorated health amid his hunger strike.

While “Israel” has been pursuing its policy of deliberate medical negligence against #Palestinian cancer-stricken prisoner Walid Daqqa, a far-right Israeli politician said, according to Israeli media, that he prays that cancer will spread in Daqqa’s body.#Palestine pic.twitter.com/4Sq2RacUDt

— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) May 31, 2023

Freedom Tunnel

In a similar context, the Muhjat Al-Quds Foundation reported that occupation forces had transferred detainee Yaqoub Qadri from solitary confinement in the “Megiddo Prison” to  “Ohalei Kidar” where he is also being kept in solitary confinement.

It is important to note that Qadri was one of the six detainees who broke out of the “Gilboa Prison” in an operation dubbed Freedom Tunnel on September 6, 2021. The detainee suffered from schistosomiasis while being held in cruel conditions by Israeli occupation forces.

The Detainees’ Media Office reported occupation authorities have renewed the administrative detention of Abdul Rahman Jarrar from the tow of Jaba’ in the south of Jenin for four extra months, which marks the fourth time in which occupation authorities have extended Jarrar’s arbitrary detainment.

The organization also stated the detainees Raghad Sahmrokh and Ghassan Krajeh from Al-Duheisha camp and the village of Saffa, respectively, have had their administrative detention extended for four months.

Administrative detainees are held in Israeli prisons without charges filed against them, and their detention is renewed arbitrarily as it nears its end. This policy has become an infamous method that the Israeli occupation employs against influential Palestinians and political activists who resist the occupation of their land.

Currently, “Israel” holds 5,000 Palestinians on political grounds, including 1132 administrative prisoners and 558 who are serving life sentences, such as Walid Daqqa.

Read more: Operation Freedom Tunnel probe sows discord in Israeli prison admin