RAMALLAH – The health of Palestinian prisoner Yusri al-Mari has deteriorated severely in Israeli jails, a Palestinian rights group said on Saturday. Palestinian Prisoners Club (Nadi Al-Asir) said that the al-Mari's health, who was diagnosed with Thyroid cancer, deteriorated and suffering from sharp and shocking pain that followed a surgery to remove a tumor. The club said that the prisoner needs special medical care that the Israeli Prison Service (IPS) refuses to extend. It added that al-Mari was arrested in 2003 from Gaza Strip and serving 20-year jail sentence in t in Ishel prison in southern Israeli city of Be'er Sheva for resisting Israeli occupation. A Palestinian rights group said on Wednesday said that there are 23 Palestinian prisoners suffering from cancer in Israeli jails. The Palestinian Prisoners Center for Studies said that the prisoners are suffering from several types of cancer. It added that several of them have been in Israeli jails since 2003. According to the center, the prisoners are in urgent need of medical treatment at hospital and yet receive little more than basic pain relievers that the IPS extends to them. It warned that the prisoners “may face the same fate of Maysara Abu Hamdiyeh if they do not receive the proper medical treatment urgently.” Abu Hamdiyeh, 64, died of cancer on late April of medical negligence by the Israeli authorities. The Palestinian Authority said recently that Israel is holding hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in its jails. Issa Qaraqi', the Palestinian Minister of Detainees and Ex-detainees, said that Israel is holding 1,400 prisoners in its in 23 prisons and detention camps in Israel and in the West Bank. Qaraqi' said that 80 of them are chronically or terminally ill, and some are on the verge of death. He added that the prisoners are suffering from cancer, paralysis, diabetes, high blood pressure, kidney, gallbladder and eyes problems. He added that the Palestinian government will raise the issue of sick prisoners with all international forums. The minister said that the move aims at winning international support for the case of the prisoners in order to create pressure on Israel to free them. According to recent Palestinian statistics, Israel is holding 4,900 Palestinian prisoners in its in 23 prisons and detention camps in Israel and in the West Bank of whom 234 children, 15 females, 15 members of Palestine Legislative Council, 135 in administrative detention without trial and hundreds suffer from medical negligence. On late December, Israel released 26 Palestinian prisoners, jailed since before the Oslo Accords of 1993, in the third of four phased releases agreed upon as a precondition to peace talks. The 26 prisoners have been jailed for 19 to 28 years. All of the prisoners on the list, save three, were convicted of murdering Israeli civilians or soldiers, as well as Palestinians suspected of collaborating with Israel. On July, Israel agreed to a four-stage release of 104 prisoners in order to facilitate the resumption of American-brokered peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians. In the first stage of the release this past August, 26 Palestinians were freed. In the second stage of the deal this October, 21 prisoners were released.
