Israel kills Palestinian prisoner from Gaza 

A Palestinian arrested by Israel after the 7 October Hamas attack has been “martyred” in Ofer Prison, the state Commission of Detainees’ Affairs and the Palestinian Prisoners’ Club have confirmed. Majed Ahmed Zaqoul, 32, was from the Gaza Strip and was working in Israel when he was arrested, one of “thousands” of Palestinians detained without charge by the occupation state since 7 October. His family are still in Gaza.

“The Israeli occupation authorities covered up the assassination of prisoner Zaqoul until it was announced through their media,” said the commission and club in a joint statement yesterday. They noted that Zaqoul moved to the West Bank three years ago to make it easier to seek work in Israel, and was suffering from cancer. He was married with one child.

“The occupation authorities not only assassinated the martyr Zaqoul, but also kept it quiet until two days ago, using its media outlets to announce the release of two workers, one from Ofer Prison, and the other from Anatot detention camp. Their identities have not yet been revealed. Moreover, the occupation has still not revealed the identity of another prisoner who was martyred.”

According to the “horrific testimonies” given by the workers who were released into Gaza two days ago through the Kerem Shalom crossing, Zaqoul was subjected to systematic abuse, as was the case with prisoners Omar Daraghmeh and Arafat Hamdan, who were martyred last month as a result of torture in Israeli prisons and detention camps.

Palestinians from Gaza continue to be arrested if they work in Israel and have not been able to return home due to the occupation state’s bombardment of the territory. The total number of detainees remains unknown and Israel refuses to provide any information about them, their identities, places of detention and health conditions, despite demands made by the relevant authorities.

As fears mount about the prisoners due to the allegations of torture, the martyrdom of Majed Ahmed Zaqoul brings the number of prisoners who have been killed in Israeli custody since 1967 to 240.

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