Palestinian, diagnosed with cancer, dies in Israeli prison

By Qais Abu Samra

RAMALLAH, Palestine (AA) – A Palestinian prisoner diagnosed with cancer has died in an Israeli prison, according to a local nongovernmental organization on Thursday.

Assef Al-Rifai, 22, was transferred from Ramla Prison to the Assaf Harofeh Medical Center where he was pronounced dead, the Palestinian Prisoner Society said in a statement.

Al-Rifai, from the town of Kafr Ein near Ramallah in the central West Bank, was detained by Israeli forces in September 2022.

His death brought the number of Palestinian detainees in Israel since Oct. 7 to 11.

Palestinians have accused Israel of a policy of starvation and medical negligence against detainees as part of punitive measures against Palestinians following an Oct. 7 Hamas attack.

Tensions have been high across the West Bank since Israel launched a deadly military offensive against the Gaza Strip, which has left more than 30,000 people dead since Oct. 7.

At least 411 Palestinians have since been killed, over 4,600 injured and 7,120 others detained by Israeli forces in the West Bank, according to the Health Ministry.

Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice, which in an interim ruling in January ordered Tel Aviv to stop genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.