Palestinian Prisoners: 1,400 Suffer Illnesses, 25 With Cancer

Ramallah- Rawan Ahmad

She visited her son Mo'tasem Radad in the Remon "Israeli" prison, she wanted him to walk in front of her so that she would make sure he was fine as the lawyer had told her that cancer has invaded his body and has paralyzed his left limbs, he no longer can walk properly.

Mo'tasem's mother said "Every time I asked him he said he was fine, but he was sitting behind the glass window, barely able to carry the phone handle. He would explain that his weakness is only due to chemotherapy, but I could not believe his words; he was extremely drained and could barely move."
The 31- year old detainee jailed since the year 2006, suffered severe intestinal pain while in detention, later on developing to hemorrhage. Then he was diagnosed with cancer, which has already spread in his intestines.
Total negligence!
His health worsened with the absence of medical care; the jail administration offers painkillers only. He lost 14 kilograms, the jail administration acknowledged his sickness when his blood count was as low as 5. Then he was transferred to the Seroka hospital, then to the Ramla prison hospital for treatment.
Yet, the prison administration offered only painkillers until he reached an advanced stage and the cancer spread, then he was put on chemotherapy.
Today, his mother said his health has deteriorated badly, he is barely able to move or walk, the jail administration are not giving him proper treatment but rather giving him chemotherapy injections. He was given more than 45 injections; he did not improve, instead his body has become swollen and his facial features have altered.

The detainee Radad is only one example of the 1,400 sick detainees suffering, among which 25 are cancer patients. The jail administration refuses providing appropriate treatment or releasing them so that they can get treatment outside despite their severe health deterioration.
His mother added that cancer has spread in his body and the medication they are giving him is not effective, not even in easing the pain. She noted that all efforts of calling on the official levels to set him free have failed.
Detainees and liberated affairs Minister Issa Qaraqe' said around 1400 sick detainees remain in "Israeli" prisons, 25 sick with cancer and another 10 suffering total paralysis.

"The prison administration, through its policy of negligence, aims at slowly killing the detainees and getting rid of them, just like the case was with the detainee Abou Hamdieh and others. They were set free only a few days before departing life.

The minister accused the Zionist entity of practicing ‘slow killing' policies against the detainees, especially the sick ones who were left to suffer without treatment until they reached an advanced stage of sickness and live under serious threat of losing their lives.

Warning the Zionist enemy from the slow killing process, the minister went on to say " "Israel" has been committing crimes against the sick detainees, there is no hospital for the sick, there are no proper living conditions at the prison, and the situation there is unbearable."
Not only that, but also the minster shed light that trainee doctors have been allowed to perform their job on the detainees, committing many mistakes during the treatment process.

Radad is only one of the hundreds of detainees who have not received neither proper treatment nor life conditions.

Source: Al-Ahed News