Hamas leader's health deteriorating in Israeli prison, rights group says

A Hamas-affiliated rights organization has issued a grave warning regarding the condition of a senior Hamas leader currently imprisoned by Israel. The Palestine Center for Prisoners' Studies stated that the health of 68-year-old Mohammad Jamal al-Natsheh is rapidly deteriorating due to what it describes as deliberate medical neglect and torture, raising fears for his life.

Allegations of "Medical Assassination"

In a statement released on Monday, the center expressed its fear that Israeli authorities may be attempting a "medical assassination" of al-Natsheh, who is from Hebron in the occupied West Bank. The group reported that his health has declined so severely—manifesting in memory loss and disorientation—that he has been transferred to the Ramla Prison Hospital in central Israel. Al-Natsheh, who suffers from pre-existing illnesses, was arrested in March 2025 and allegedly subjected to brutal interrogation and physical torture despite his age and fragile health.

A Veteran Prisoner's Ordeal

The center described al-Natsheh as a prominent Islamic figure in Hebron and a member of the Palestinian Legislative Council elected in 2006. His current detention is part of a long history of imprisonment; he has been detained dozens of times by Israeli authorities, spending a total of 23 years in prison, much of it under administrative detention without formal charges. The rights group labeled this pattern an "act of political revenge."

Calls for Intervention Amid Wider Context

The rights group holds the Israeli Prison Service fully responsible for al-Natsheh's well-being and is calling for urgent international intervention. This case unfolds against a backdrop of intensified tensions in the region. Since the war in Gaza began over two years ago, local authorities report over 1,056 Palestinians killed and more than 20,000 arrested in the West Bank. This also follows the International Court of Justice's opinion last July, which declared Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories illegal.