Palestinian prisoner dies after receiving ‘Israel’ vaccine

Palestinian prisoner Maher Dhib Sa`sa has died after recently receiving COVID-19 vaccine, according to the Palestinian Commission of Detainees’ and ex-Detainees’ Affairs.

The Israeli Prisons Service announced late Wednesday the death of Sa`sa, 45, from Qalqilah, in the northern of the West Bank.

Sa`sa, a husband and father of six children, was suffering from chronic illnesses, but no clear cause of death was identified, according to an official statement.

Sa’sa was detained in 2006 and was serving a 25-year-sentence in Israeli prison.

Israeli authorities told his family that an autopsy would be performed Thursday.

The family said he was exposed to medical negligence during his detention for more than 15 years.

“We prepared a detailed report about the health situation for the detainees in Israeli jails, and we will send it via Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the human rights organizations to make an effort to protect the Palestinian inmates,” said Qadri Abu-Baker, head of the detainee commission.

The International Committee of the Red Cross said delegates are still visiting jails and facilitates the transmission of messages between detainees and families since visits were stopped at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic in March.

It said it has visited more than 95% of jails and detention centers, ICRC spokesman in Palestine, Yahya Maswadeh, told Anadolu Agency.

“We are in intensive contact with the Israeli jails services about the plan for vaccination of Palestinian inmates, and we give our recommendations for giving priority for vulnerable groups inside the jails,” Maswadeh added.

The Israeli government decided to start vaccinating prisoners in different jails but risks remain and the numbers of infected detainees have been increasing recently, Abu-Baker told Anadolu Agency.

The prison advocacy groups stated that they hold the Israeli occupation responsible for the lives of all the Palestinian detainees.

According to Palestinian estimates, there are 4,400 Palestinians in Israeli prisons, including 41 women, 170 children, and around 380 people held under Israel’s administrative detention policy, which allows the detention of Palestinians without charge or trial.

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