The death of Palestinian prisoner Maysara Abu Hamdieh, 64, in the Israeli prison of Eshel on the morning of Tuesday, April 2, sparked unrest and large-scale protests in cities across the Gaza Strip and West Bank.
Abu Hamdieh, who was sentenced to life in prison in 2002, died of esophageal cancer, which spread to his neck and spinal cord and which, according to his lawyer, led to the loss of his voice and a considerable weight loss. Abu Hamdieh died three days after being transferred to Soroka hospital in Beer Sheva.
Cities in the West Bank, specifically Hebron, Abu Hamdieh’s hometown, witnessed intense clashes between Palestinian protesters and Israeli soldiers. In the Gaza Strip, several Palestinian factions participated in large evening rallies called for by the ruling Islamist party Hamas.
Angry protesters chanted against the Israeli occupation and called on Palestinian militant factions to forcefully respond to Israel’s crimes against Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails. The Guardian reported that other Palestinian security prisoners launched a three-day hunger strike over the death of Abu Hamdieh.
AL-MONITOR All-Access gives you unlimited access to all our journalism, the full Daily Briefing, exclusive interviews, premium newsletters, and live events — for less than $2/week.