Renowned Palestinian author and activist Walid Daqqa, who was battling cancer, has passed away at Israel’s Shamir Medical Center, as reported by the Palestinian Commission of Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs.
Hailing from Baqa al-Gharbiyye, a predominantly Palestinian city in Israel, Daqqa spent 38 years in Israeli prisons, according to the commission. His death was attributed to a cruel policy of neglect towards sick inmates by the Israeli prison authorities.
In honor of one of the most prominent Palestinian prisoners, protesters have assembled in Ramallah, where Daqqa was set to be released next year.
Wafa, the Palestinian state news agency, hailed Daqqa as a “freedom fighter”, while Hamas pledged to continue supporting prisoners until their liberation in light of his passing.
Hamas lamented Daqqa’s demise within the confines of the occupation prisons in a poignant statement.
Israel’s far-right Minister of National Security, Itamar Ben-Gvir, dismissed Daqqa as a “terrorist” and callously stated that Israel did not mourn his death.
Ben-Gvir further claimed that Daqqa’s passing was not part of the supposed “death penalty for terrorists” and insensitively remarked on social media about the natural end to his life.
לא בוכה הלילה על מותו של אסיר העולם – המחבל ווליד דקה ימ”ש. לצערי, ווליד דקה סיים את חייו במוות טבעי, ולא כמו תפיסתי לפיה דקה היה אמור לסיים את חייו במסגרת עונש מוות למחבלים.
— איתמר בן גביר (@itamarbengvir) April 7, 2024
Poor treatment of prisoners
Daqqa is one of the most prominent and longtime Palestinian prisoners in Israeli custody. He was arrested by Israel in 1986 for killing an Israeli soldier and has remained in prison since then. While in jail, he wrote several books,…
Article from www.aljazeera.com rnrn