Palestinians rally in support of prisoners held by Israel

RAMALLAH, Palestine

Palestinians organized several rallies in the occupied West Bank on Tuesday in a show of solidarity with Palestinian prisoners in Israel.

One of the main protests was held outside the office of the International Committee of the Red Cross in the central city of Al-Bireh.

Participants have called on international human rights groups to intervene to free Nasser Abu Hamid, a Palestinian prisoner battling cancer in detention.

Israel “is practicing slow killing” of Palestinian prisoners through “medical negligence”, Qadura Fares, the head of the Palestinian Prisoner Society (PPS), a local NGO advocating for prisoners’ rights, told participants.

Speaking to Anadolu Agency, the coordinator of the national and Islamic forces in Ramallah, Issam Abu Bakr, called for "the broadest popular and official solidarity campaign with the sick prisoners."

On Sunday, the PPS said that 49-year-old Abu Hamid is experiencing a "serious deterioration" in his health condition.

In detention since 2002, Abu Hamid, who hails from Al-Amari camp in Ramallah, was sentenced to life by Israel on charges of resisting the occupation and participating in the establishment of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, blacklisted by Israel.

According to Palestinian NGOs, there are around 4,600 Palestinian detainees in Israeli jails, including at least 600 sick prisoners.

*Writing by Ibrahim Mukhtar