Number of Palestinian Prisoners Infected with COVID-19 in Israeli Jails Exceeds 350


TEHRAN (Tasnim) – The total number of Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails who have been infected with COVID-19 has exceeded 350, with at least 200 Palestinian inmates testing positive for the coronavirus in January.

This is according to the Palestinian prisoners’ affairs commission that accused the Israeli prison administration of depriving the Palestinian inmates of medical care.

The commission also said the increase of cases among the Israeli inmates was the first source of transmission of the virus to the Palestinian prisoners.

During a protest held in support of the Palestinian prisoners in the occupied city of Ramallah, Palestinian officials and prisoner rights groups called on the international bodies to intervene and put an end to the medical negligence practiced by the Israeli prison administration against Palestinian prisoners.

They say Israel must vaccinate Palestinians held in its jails against COVID-19.

Israel has already begun to vaccinate its population. This comes as the regime denies Palestinians in the occupied lands of the vaccine. International rights groups have slammed the Israeli regime for the negligence.

Under the Geneva Conventions, Israel must provide vaccines not only to prisoners held in its jails, but also to those living under its occupation in the West Bank and also in the besieged Gaza Strip.

This definitely is raising political and public-health questions about Israel’s responsibilities to the Palestinians as an occupying regime.