A Palestinian prisoner released in a Hamas-Israel exchange deal has died just three months after his freedom, raising questions about the medical treatment he received during his 19 years behind bars.
At a Glance
- Moatasem Taleb Raddad, 42, died in an Egyptian hospital after being released from Israeli prison
- Raddad spent 19 years in detention after being sentenced to 20 years in 2006
- He suffered from multiple severe health conditions, including shrapnel injuries and chronic bleeding
- Reports indicate he was repeatedly denied adequate medical care while in Israeli custody
- He was released as part of a prisoner exchange between Israel and Hamas but died three months later
Background and Detention
Moatasem Taleb Raddad, a 42-year-old man from Seida, north of Tulkarem, passed away in an Egyptian hospital following a brief period of freedom after 19 years in Israeli detention. Raddad was arrested in 2006 and sentenced to 20 years in prison. His incarceration ended when he was included in a resistance exchange deal between Israel and Hamas. Upon his release, rather than returning home, Raddad was exiled to Egypt as part of the exchange agreement terms, where his already critical health condition continued to deteriorate despite receiving hospital treatment.
Medical Neglect Allegations
According to reports from Palestinian information sources, Raddad suffered from numerous severe health conditions during his imprisonment. These included shrapnel injuries, chronic intestinal inflammations, persistent internal bleeding, high blood pressure, respiratory distress, irregular heartbeats, and severe pain in his back and joints. Despite the severity of these conditions, sources indicate that Israeli prison authorities repeatedly denied him necessary medical treatment, resulting in the progressive deterioration of his health throughout his incarceration.
Medical reports indicated that Raddad was frequently transferred between Ofer Prison and the Ramla Prison Clinic. The transportation process itself reportedly worsened his condition, with advocates citing poor transport conditions and alleged mistreatment during these transfers. By the time he was released and transferred to Egypt for medical care, his health had reportedly reached a critical stage from which he could not recover, despite finally receiving proper medical attention in an Egyptian hospital.
Circumstances of Death
Raddad’s death came approximately three months after his release as part of the prisoner exchange. Middle East Eye reported that his condition was already critical by the time he arrived at the Egyptian hospital. Despite efforts to treat his numerous ailments, the extended period of alleged medical neglect during his 19-year detention had apparently caused irreversible damage to his health. His case has drawn attention to the broader issue of medical care for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli detention facilities.
The Palestinian Information Center reported that Raddad’s death was directly attributable to “complications from illnesses that worsened during his detention.” His passing after spending nearly two decades in prison, only to die shortly after gaining freedom, has highlighted concerns about the standard of healthcare provided to Palestinian prisoners, particularly those with pre-existing or developing serious medical conditions.
Broader Context
Raddad’s case is being cited by Palestinian advocacy groups as an example of what they describe as systematic medical neglect of Palestinian prisoners. According to these sources, many detainees with serious health conditions face significant challenges in accessing appropriate medical care. The prisoner exchange that led to Raddad’s release was part of broader negotiations between Hamas and Israel, which have resulted in the release of numerous prisoners from both sides during recent conflicts.
Israeli authorities have generally maintained that adequate medical care is provided to all prisoners regardless of their background. However, human rights organizations have repeatedly raised concerns about the quality and timeliness of medical treatment available to Palestinian detainees. Raddad’s death so soon after his release has renewed these discussions about detention conditions and medical standards in Israeli prisons.
