Gaza: A Palestinian prisoner died on Wednesday in an Israeli detention facility, according to the prisoner's family. Basel Nidham al-Atrash stated that the Israeli occupation forces informed him and his family of the death of his brother, Mutaz, 21, in Ofer detention facility.
According to Palestine News and Information Agency - WAFA, al-Atrash noted that the occupation forces summoned his father to the so-called Jaabreh Police Station in Hebron's Old City. There, they informed him of Mutaz's death and required him to sign papers authorizing an autopsy of the body. Al-Atrash added that his brother had not been suffering from any illnesses, as confirmed by a detainee who had been released the previous day and had shared a room with Mutaz. The released detainee assured the family that Mutaz was well.
Mutaz had been held under administrative detention for more than 11 months. According to the latest figures from Addameer, the Palestinian Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association, there are currently 9,400 Palestinian political prisoners in Israeli prisons and detention centres. This includes 350 children and 99 female prisoners. Among these detainees, 3,244 Palestinians are under 'administrative detention,' which permits their detention without charge or trial for renewable intervals between three and six months based on undisclosed evidence that even a detainee's lawyer cannot access.