West Bank: 3 doctors resign after ‘anomalies’ in Israa Ghrayeb's autopsy

Three Palestinian doctors have retired in protest against the improper handling of the murder and autopsy of Israa Ghrayeb.

Israaa was purportedly murdered at the end of August at the hands of her brothers after she reportedly posted a picture with her fiancé, in what has been labelled an “honour killing”.

Palestinian newspaper Al-Hadath revealed that official bodies cooperated in the murder. The Undersecretary of State of the Palestine Ministry of Justice, Mohammad Abu Al-Sondos, had allegedly misled the attorney general by claiming that samples of Israa’s body was sent for examination, when only samples of body fluids were issued, causing serious violations in the forensic department.

As a result, three doctors in the Department of Forensic Medicine retired and accused Abu Al-Sondos of failing to announce the autopsy and laboratory results.

Al-Hadath said the officials were meant to participate in writing the medical report, but didn’t. They also said that the violations that occurred in the forensic department affected their work and caused major delays in carrying out the procedure.

READ: Palestinians demand legal protection after ‘honour’ killing of Israa Ghrayeb

Abu Al-Sondos denied any involvement in the investigation. With US-backed Alhurra news station reporting that Abu Al-Sondos expressed that the doctors’ resignations were because “some of them were on charges of corruption, including some who were about to be dismissed, and they used public opinion to escape the measures that were taken against them and trying to arouse public opinion”.

The Ministry of Justice later issued a press release confirming the resignation of the three doctors had no relation with Israa’s case and that it was due to “the irregularities and disciplinary sanctions against some of them”.

The Public Prosecution announced yesterday that a press conference will be held to present its findings in the case tomorrow at the Ministry of Information in Ramallah.

The official medical report carried out in Bethlehem by the Ministry confirmed that Israa’s death was due to “severe respiratory failure” which were a result of multiple injuries.

According to Egyptian newspaper El Dostor, Israa also suffered from “old and recent bruises on the upper limbs” and fractures on her wrist.

READ: Honour killings in the spotlight after Palestinian woman is brutally killed