A Palestinian teenager died in Israeli detention after collapsing in what the AP refers to as "unclear circumstances" on March 23. Walid Ahmad, 17, had been held in Megiddo Prison for six months without being charged, and became the first Palestinian teen to die in Israeli custody. His family blames prison conditions for his death, alleging he contracted dysentery, an infection that causes diarrhea, vomiting, and dizziness, and can be fatal if not treated. The circumstances of his death are not clear, but Palestinian officials say witnesses saw him fall in a prison yard and hit his head, losing consciousness, before he died. The Palestinian Authority says the witnesses reported that "prison administration did not respond to the prisoners' requests for urgent care to save his life."
His death brings Israeli prison conditions into focus, with human rights groups and former detainees reporting widespread abuse in the detention facilities. They claim unsanitary conditions contribute to disease outbreaks, including scabies and dysentery, and that many prisoners face overcrowding, insufficient medical care, and harsh conditions including beatings. Khalid Ahmad, Walid's father, says his son suffered from malnutrition and scabies. When he noticed his son's deteriorating condition during one of the teen's video-conferenced court appearances in February, he says Walid told him, "Don't worry about me."
The Israeli prison service has denied systematic abuse and claims to investigate all reports of wrongdoing, while acknowledging prison conditions are maintained at the legal bare minimum level. Itamar Ben-Gvir, an ultranationalist Cabinet Minister, runs the Israeli National Security Ministry overseeing prisons. Firas al-Jabrini, Walid's lawyer, says he was denied prison visits to his client, who was detained for allegedly throwing rocks at Israeli soldiers in September. The Palestinian Authority reports Walid is the 63rd Palestinian prisoner to die since the start of the current conflict. In total, around 300 have died in Israeli custody since 1967. (This content was created with the help of AI. Read our AI policy.)
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