Palestinians rally in support of cancer-diagnosed prisoner after grave deterioration in health

Hundreds of Palestinians protested on Saturday in Ramallah to demand the release of cancer-ill Palestinian prisoner, Nasser Abu Hmeid, from Israeli jail.

The protest came two days after the Palestinian Prisoners' club revealed that Abu Hmeid was in a life-threatening health condition, according to latest medical reports made to him by Israeli medics.

Abu Hameid, from the refuge camp of Al-Amaari in Ramallah, has been in jail since 2002, serving a life-sentence for militancy during the second Intifada. His health began to deteriorate in August of 2018, and was later diagnosed with lung cancer.

After undergoing a surgery to remove the tumour, Abu Hmeid was transferred back to jail before fully recovering, according to his family and human rights groups. Israeli authorities later admitted that he needed chemical treatment, which he began to receive.

Four of Abu Hmeid’s brothers are also serving high sentences in Israeli jails. A sixth sibling was killed in 1994 by Israeli forces after a long chase for militant activity. The family’s house was detonated by Israeli forces five times.

At the protest, attended by Abu Hmeid’s mother, Palestinians held pictures of him and chanted slogans demanding his release, as well as the release of all ill Palestinian prisoners.

“I want my son back with me, to hug him for at least one last time before he dies”, said Abu Hmeid’s mother to the press at the protest.

"Medical reports indicate that the heath condition of cancer-stricken and critically-ill #Palestinian poisoner, #NasserAbuHmeid, has reached a very critical stage and he is on the verge of death."#FreeThemAll pic.twitter.com/otkVB2ZYEq

— Mohammad Sabaaneh (@Sabaaneh) September 9, 2022

“I call upon all factions and parties, as well as international institutions and human rights organisations and the Palestinian government to act to release my son before he dies”, she stressed.

“Are they waiting for him to die to come later and give their condolences? I don’t want that. I want my son back," she exclaimed.

Palestinians organize a sit-in in Nablus in support of Palestinian prisoner Nasser Abu Hmeid, a patient of cancer who's battling death in Israeli jails.

Credit: WAFA News Agency pic.twitter.com/tfocleaiIJ

— Wafa News Agency - English (@WAFANewsEnglish) September 11, 2022

During the protest, a group of participants began to chant slogans demanding the release of Palestinians detained by the Palestinian Authority. The group, mostly made of family members of the detainees, accused the PA of detaining them for political reasons.

Tensions mounted as an argument escalated between the detainees' family members and another group of attendants, before both sides backed down. None of the protesters against the PA detentions agreed to speak to the press.

In November 2019, Palestinian 37-year-old Sami Abu Dyak died in Israeli jail after years of battling with intestine cancer. In his last message, Abu Dyak asked to be left to die at home beside his mother. Human rights groups staged a campaign to demand his release for humanitarian reasons, but Israeli authorities refused.

In November 2020, 48-year-old Kamal Abu Waar also died in Israeli jails after a long struggle with throat cancer. Demands had been made for his release as well, though they were equally ignored.

According to human rights groups, Palestinians prisoners in Israeli jails suffer from chronic diseases, including 22 of cancer or tumour-related diseases.

Israeli authorities have been accused of medical negligence towards Palestinian ill prisoners, including delaying treatment and the over-use of pain killers.