Gaza: The Palestinian Commission of Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs announced on Sunday that Israeli prison authorities have confirmed the death of Palestinian detainee Ihab Mohammad Abdul Qader Diab, 36, from the Gaza Strip. Diab had been imprisoned since December 12, 2023.
According to Palestine News and Information Agency - WAFA, the commission stated that it received confirmation from the Israeli Prison Service regarding Diab's death. The response from the authorities indicated that Diab had suffered from a health condition, an assertion that his family disputed, claiming he was in good health at the time of his detention. The commission noted that Diab's death is believed to have occurred on September 18, 2024.
The commission reported that Diab's death raises the total number of Palestinian detainees who have died in Israeli custody since 1967 to 328. Of these, 91 have died since October 7, 2023, including 53 from Gaza.
The commission urged for immediate international intervention to halt the alleged torture and abuse in Israeli prisons and detention centers. It emphasized that many Palestinians, especially those detained from Gaza, are suspected to have died due to torture.
The commission highlighted numerous testimonies documenting deaths under torture, pointing out that Israeli authorities have yet to acknowledge many of these fatalities. The commission accused Israeli authorities of continuing a policy of enforced disappearance and concealment.
The commission described Diab's death as part of an ongoing pattern of what it termed as deliberate killings of Palestinians in Israeli detention.