Palestinian Teen Likely Starved to Death in Israeli Prison, Medical Report Reveals

A Palestinian adolescent who passed away due to an accident Israeli prison likely starved to death, according to an Israeli doctor who observed the autopsy.

Walid Ahmad, aged 17, was detained for half a year without facing charges before his death occurred.

A report written by Dr. Daniel Solomon, who watched the autopsy, conducted by Israeli experts, said the teen suffered from ‘extreme malnutrition, and also showed signs of inflammation of the colon and scabies.’

The Associated Press obtained a copy of Solomon's report from the family who requested the autopsy

It did not conclude a cause of death, but said Ahmad was in a state of extreme weight loss and muscle wasting.

The report also mentioned that Ahmad had been voicing complaints about insufficient meals provided by the prison since December, referencing records from the facility’s healthcare center.

Palestinian officials reported that Ahmad passed away last month when he fell and hit his head at Megiddo Prison, according to fellow inmates who witnessed the incident. The Israeli prison authority stated that an investigation team was assigned to look into Ahmad’s death, with their conclusions set to be forwarded to the appropriate regulatory bodies.

Ahmad is the youngest Palestinian detainee to pass away in an Israeli jail since the beginning of the Gaza conflict , according to Physicians for Human Rights Israel, which keeps records of deceased Palestinian prisoners. According to his family, he was arrested from his residence in the West Bank as part of a predawn operation in September for reportedly hurling stones at troops.

The autopsy took place on March 27 at Israel’s Abu Kabir Forensic Institute. As of now, they have yet to release their findings and have not responded to inquiries for comments. Attorney Nadia Daqqa, representing the Ahmad family, verified that Solomon—a gastroenterologist—received approval from an Israeli civil court to attend the autopsy.

Widespread abuse in Israeli prisons, rights groups say

Human rights organizations have reported extensive mistreatment within Israeli detention centers where numerous Palestinians are being held following their arrest post-Hamas' October 7, 2023 assault which sparked conflict in Gaza. According to the Palestinian Authority, Israel retains control over the remains of 72 Palestinian inmates who passed away in these prisons, with 61 deaths occurring since the onset of hostilities. Israel frequently keeps hold of deceased Palestinians' bodies under claims related to security concerns or as part of strategic maneuvers.

The conditions in Israeli prisons have deteriorated since the beginning of the conflict. , ex-detainees have shared with the AP their experiences of being beaten, facing extreme overpopulation, lacking adequate medical treatment, suffering from scabies epidemics, and enduring unsanitary living conditions.

Naji Abbas, who leads the organization, stated that Megiddo Prison, a high-security institution housing numerous Palestinian detainees—many of whom are teenagers—is considered among the most severe, often detaining individuals without charges. Prisoners and Detainees Division within Physicians for Human Rights Israel.

Israel’s prison service said it operates according to the law and all prisoners are given basic rights.

Ahmad’s lawyer, Firas al-Jabrini, said Israeli authorities denied his requests to visit his client in prison, but three prisoners held there told him Ahmad suffered from severe diarrhea, vomiting, headaches and dizziness before he died. They suspected it was caused by dirty water, as well as cheese and yogurt prison guards brought in the morning and that sat out all day while detainees were fasting for the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, the lawyer said.

Malnourished and frail

Based on Dr. Solomon’s report, the autopsy indicated that Ahmed probably experienced inflammation of the large intestine, referred to as colitis. This condition can lead to frequent diarrhea and may have contributed to his demise in certain instances.

However, medical professionals stated that colitis generally does not lead to fatal outcomes in younger individuals and was probably worsened by extreme malnutrition.

"He endured starvation resulting in extreme malnutrition. Additionally, without treatment for his colitis, he experienced dehydration and imbalances in his electrolyte levels, conditions that could lead to irregular heartbeat and potentially fatal outcomes," explained Dr. Lina Qasem Hassan, chairperson of the board for Physicians for Human Rights Israel, as she examined the report upon the AP’s request.

She said the findings indicated medical neglect, exacerbated by Ahmad’s inability to fight disease or infection because of how malnourished and frail he was.

Dr. Arne Stray-Pedersen, a professor of forensic medicine at the University of Oslo in Norway who was not involved in the autopsy, said the report suggests there was a period of prolonged malnutrition and sickness lasting at least a few weeks or months. “Based on the report, I interpret the underlying cause of death to be emaciation-wasting,” he said.

Scabies rashes were also noted on his legs and genital area, the report said. There was also air between his lungs that expanded into his neck and back, it said, which can cause infection. Air can come from small tears in the lungs, which can occur from severe vomiting or coughing, it said.

Ahmad's family mentioned that he was an athletic high school student who loved playing soccer prior to being detained. His father, Khalid Ahmad, stated that his son participated in four short court proceedings via video conference. During one hearing in February, his father observed that Ahmad seemed unwell.

The family has not yet obtained a death certificate from Israel, the senior Ahmad stated on Friday, and they are pinning their hopes on Dr. Solomon's report to aid in bringing his son's remains back home.

We will insist on having our son's body returned for burial," he stated. "The situation in Israeli prisons is truly tragic; human life holds no worth.

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