The deaths of three Palestinian detainees from the Gaza Strip in Israeli custody have been confirmed. According to the Palestinian Commission for Detainees’ Affairs and the Palestinian Prisoners’ Society (PPS), those who died include:
Tayseer Saeed Al-Abed Sabbaba, who was 60 years old
Khamis Shukri Ashour, who was 44 years old
Khalil Ahmad Khalil Haniyeh, who was 35 years old
The deaths of the three occurred at different times and under different circumstances. According to the report, 60-year-old Sabbaba died on 31 December 2024, two months after his arrest. Forty-four-year-old Ashour passed away on 8 February 2024, just one day after being taken into custody. Meanwhile, 35-year-old Haniyeh died on 25 December 2024 after almost a year in detention. The families were informed of the deaths through the Israeli organization ‘HaMoked.’
Prisoner organizations have alleged that these deaths are the result of the alleged torture, starvation, medical negligence, and inhumane treatment occurring in custody. They say that since the current war began, the number of Palestinian detainees who have died in Israeli prisons has exceeded 100.
Hamas has described these deaths as the result of ‘barbaric behavior’ and has called on the United Nations and human rights organizations to conduct an immediate international investigation. The organization has appealed for the return of the bodies of the deceased and for the disclosure of information about all missing detainees.
Prisoner organizations have held Israel fully responsible for these deaths and stated that the international community must take action now.