Death of Palestinian doctor in Israeli custody 'devastating,' White House says

By Michael Hernandez

WASHINGTON (AA) - The White House said Friday that death of a prominent Palestinian physician after he was taken captive from the Gaza Strip by Israeli forces is "devastating."

"That is certainly one of the hardest news that you can hear, a family member can hear, especially as someone is providing care in this situation in Gaza where we know humanitarian aid is dire, and the innocent people of Gaza, the Palestinian citizens obviously need that care. They need that assistance. So it is obviously devastating to hear," spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters.

"At this time I can offer my condolences, and we want to make sure innocent lives, innocent civilians, people who are certainly offering that humanitarian aid, their lives are protected as they're doing so," she added.

The Palestinian Prisoners Society (PPS) identified Dr. Adnan al-Bursh, a prominent 50-year-old surgeon, as one of two Palestinians detained in Gaza by Israel forces who recently died in an Israeli prison.

Al-Bursh was arrested by Israeli forces in December as he was treating patients at al-Adwa Hospital in northern Gaza.

He was declared dead by Ofer prison authorities on April 19, according to the prisoners society. His body has not been released.

A cause of death has not been pronounced, but the PPS said "the killing of Dr. al-Bursh will not be the last crime amid complete silence about the condition of prisoners in the Israeli jails, especially those detained from the Gaza Strip."

Nearly 500 -- 496 -- Palestinian medical professionals have been killed in Gaza, according to Gaza's health authorities.

The other deceased Palestinian identified by the group is Ismail Khader, 33.

Hundreds of Palestinians are believed to have been detained by the Israeli army from Gaza amid its deadly offensive there.

Israel has waged its unrelenting war on the Palestinian enclave following an Oct. 7 cross-border attack led by Hamas, which killed some 1,200 people.

At least 34,622 Palestinians have since been killed in Gaza, the vast majority of whom have been women and children, and 77,867 people have been injured, according to Palestinian health authorities.

The Israeli war on Gaza has pushed 85% of the territory's population into internal displacement amid acute shortages of food, clean water, and medicine, while 60% of the enclave's infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to the UN.

Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice. An interim ruling in January said it is "plausible" that Israel is committing genocide, and ordered Tel Aviv to stop such acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.

Hostilities have continued unabated, however, and aid deliveries remain woefully insufficient to address the humanitarian catastrophe.​​​​​​​