Israel has confirmed the death of a Palestinian prisoner from Gaza nearly two years after he died in detention, according to the Palestinian Commission for Prisoners and Ex-Prisoners.
On Sunday, the Israel Prison Service informed the commission that Ihab Mohammed Abdel Qader Diab, 36, had died while in custody. Palestinian officials said the case reflects a pattern of Israel concealing the fate of detainees since the start of its deadly military campaign in Gaza.
Diab was arrested on December 12, 2023. According to the commission, he died around September 18, 2024, after nearly nine months in detention, during which he was allegedly subjected to torture.
Israeli authorities said Diab had underlying health conditions, but his family rejected this, insisting he was healthy and had no illnesses when arrested.
Diab’s death brings the total number of Palestinian prisoners who have died in Israeli jails since 1967 to 328, including 91 since October 7, 2023 – 53 of whom were from Gaza, according to commission figures.
The Gaza Prisoners Ministry declared that the Israeli government and prison authorities bear full responsibility, citing evidence of torture, medical neglect, and harsh detention conditions.
The ministry called for an international investigation, prosecution of those responsible, return of Diab’s body to his family, and disclosure of the fate of all Gaza prisoners Israel continues to hide.
Diab’s case comes amid increasing scrutiny of Israel’s detention system, as thousands of Palestinians are held without charges or trial.
As of August, the Israeli human rights group HaMoked said Israel was holding nearly 8,000 "security prisoners," including 3,198 administrative detainees – held based on secret evidence without formal charges, with detentions renewable indefinitely.
These figures do not include Palestinians detained from Gaza, who Israel classifies separately as "illegal combatants."
