Palestinian Prisoner Dies After Heart Attack in Israeli Jail

London-A Palestinian security prisoner died in an Israeli prison after suffering a heart attack, the Palestinian Commission of Detainees’ Affairs and the Palestinian Prisoners Society said on Sunday, adding that the 47-year-old detainee had existing health conditions.

Imad Rajeh Sarhan died at Gilboa prison after a medical emergency on Saturday, according to the Palestinian rights groups. Sarhan, from Haifa in northern Israel, had been detained since Oct. 15, 2001.
The groups said Sarhan suffered from vascular diseases and high blood pressure and had used a wheelchair in recent years due to deteriorating health. They accused Israeli authorities of medical neglect and mistreatment of prisoners, citing the Palestinian News Agency.

According to figures cited by Palestinian authorities, there were 9,361 Palestinian security prisoners in Israeli jails as of May 2023. Palestinian groups said at least 98 prisoners had died due to prison conditions since October 2023.

The death comes amid continued tensions over the treatment of Palestinian detainees in Israeli prisons. Israeli lawmakers passed legislation in May allowing the death penalty for Palestinian convicts involved in deadly attacks against Israelis.

Last week, Israeli lawmakers also proposed a bill that would prevent representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross from entering prisons and visiting Palestinian detainees.

The issue of prisoner conditions remains a major point of dispute between Israeli authorities and Palestinian rights groups.