Lagatar24 Desk
Ramallah: Zaher Raddad, a 19-year-old Palestinian prisoner from Saida in Tulkarm, located in the northern West Bank, has died while in custody at an Israeli hospital. Raddad, who had been wounded and subsequently detained by the Israeli army, succumbed to his injuries at the Meir Hospital, according to statements from the Prisoners and Ex-Prisoners Affairs Authority and the Palestinian Prisoners Club.
Raddad was arrested on July 23 after being shot by the Israeli army during a military operation. The statement alleges that Israeli forces used Raddad as a human shield by placing him on the front of one of their military vehicles. Despite his critical condition, which required artificial respiration and multiple surgeries, Israeli authorities continued to detain Raddad until his death on Sunday.
Raddad’s death brings the total number of Palestinian prisoners who have died in Israeli custody since October 7, 2023, to 23. This period has been marked by intensified military action from Israel against Hamas in the Gaza Strip, resulting in the deaths of over 40,000 Palestinians. The violence began after a major attack by Hamas on Israeli towns near the Gaza border, which left approximately 1,200 Israelis dead.
Palestinian organizations have condemned the actions of the Israeli occupation, describing them as a compounded crime. They highlight the sequence of events from Raddad’s arrest and shooting to his use as a human shield and the continuation of his detention despite his deteriorating health. These actions, according to the organizations, are part of a broader pattern of aggression and alleged war crimes committed by Israel against Palestinians across the occupied territories.
Since the onset of the conflict, tensions have been particularly high in the West Bank, where at least 641 Palestinians have been killed and nearly 5,400 injured, as reported by the Palestinian Health Ministry. This increase in violence follows Israel’s large-scale military offensive against Gaza.
The death of Zaher Raddad has drawn further attention to the plight of Palestinian prisoners and the ongoing humanitarian crisis in the region. The incident also coincides with a recent advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice, which on July 19 declared Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories illegal, demanding the evacuation of settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.