Prisoners’ group says Palestinian detainee with leukaemia in critical condition

The Palestinian Prisoners Club has warned that Palestinian detainee Fidaa Assaf, 49, is in critical condition after her leukaemia reportedly worsened in Israeli custody.

In a statement, the organisation said Assaf, from Qalqilya, has been held since February 2025 on charges of “incitement”. According to the group, she was diagnosed with leukaemia two months before her arrest and her condition has deteriorated steadily during her detention.

The statement said recent medical examinations conducted in Israeli hospitals indicated that the illness had advanced to a more serious stage, requiring urgent and intensive treatment that, it claims, is not being adequately provided in prison.

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The Prisoners Club said that Assaf has been subjected to medical neglect, delays in treatment and harsh detention conditions, in addition to psychological pressure and deprivation of basic necessities.

Most Palestinian female prisoners are currently held in Damon Prison, according to the group, while others remain in interrogation and detention centres. The statement explained that women detainees face strip searches, solitary confinement, ill-treatment and restricted access to healthcare.

Israeli prison authorities have not publicly responded to the specific allegations regarding Assaf’s case.

The number of Palestinian women held in Israeli prisons has reached around 70, including three minors, according to Palestinian advocacy groups, which say detention conditions have worsened in recent months.

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