Palestinian officials announced early Tuesday morning the death of Palestinian detainee Nasser Abu Hamid. He had been charged with a life sentence and held in an Israeli prison since 2002.
Abu Hamid, 50 years old, gathered wide online support with #SaveNasser trending on Twitter since September. He was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer in 2021. The Palestinian Prisoners and Ex-Prisoners Affairs Commission and several Palestinian rights groups are holding Israel responsible for Abu Hamid’s death and accusing it of medical negligence. The Israel Prison Service rejects the accusation insisting that Abu Hamid received proper care.
In response to his death and the treatment of Palestinian prisoners, the Fatah movement in the West Bank, the Palestinian Bar Association and the General Union of Palestinian Teachers have called on Tuesday for a general strike across the territories. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas issued a statement mourning Abu Hamid.
Why it matters: The death adds to the tension in Israeli prisons and within the West Bank. Following Abu Hamid’s death, the Prisoners Information Office confirmed that several detainees started a three-day hunger strike. The Israel Prison Service is currently on high alert, expecting the situation to escalate.
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