Israel confirms Palestinian detainee's death 2 years late

Israel has confirmed the death of Palestinian detainee Ihab Mohammed Abdel Qader Diab, 36, nearly two years after he died in detention. Diab, from Gaza, was detained on December 12, 2023, and is believed to have died around September 18, 2024.

The Israeli Prison Service informed the Palestinian Commission of Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs of Diab's death on Sunday. The commission stated that Diab's death brings the number of Palestinian detainees who have died in Israeli custody since 1967 to 328, including 91 since October 7, 2023.

Of the 91 Palestinian detainees who have died in Israeli custody since October 7, 2023, 53 were from Gaza. As of August, Israeli rights group HaMoked said Israel was holding nearly 8,000 'security' prisoners, including 3,198 people in administrative detention.

The Gaza Ministry of Health has reported that at least 73,386 people have been killed and 174,250 wounded in Gaza since Israel launched its war in October 2023. Since a 'ceasefire' took effect in October, the Health Ministry has recorded 1,258 people killed by Israel, 4,139 wounded and 807 bodies recovered from the rubble of destroyed buildings.

## Context The confirmation of Diab's death comes amid growing scrutiny of Israel's detention system and its treatment of Palestinian detainees. The Palestinian Commission of Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs has called for an international investigation into Diab's death and the return of his body to his family.

The Israeli government has faced criticism for its handling of Palestinian detainees, with allegations of torture, medical neglect, and brutal detention conditions. The case of Ihab Mohammed Abdel Qader Diab has sparked renewed calls for accountability and transparency in Israel's detention system.