Israel confirms death of Palestinian detainee, nearly two years late

What the report says

Israel has acknowledged the death of a Palestinian detainee from Gaza almost two years after he is believed to have died, according to the Palestinian Commission of Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs. The commission said the Israeli Prison Service told it that Ihab Mohammed Abdel Qader Diab, 36, died while in custody. Palestinian officials say he was detained on December 12, 2023, and likely died around September 18, 2024.

The case has drawn new attention because it comes amid wider accusations from Palestinian institutions that Israel has concealed the fate of detainees held since the war in Gaza began. Diab’s family disputes Israel’s explanation that an underlying health condition caused his death, saying he was healthy before his arrest. The family and Palestinian officials allege that torture, medical neglect and harsh detention conditions contributed to his death, claims that have not been independently verified in the provided material.

According to the Palestinian commission, Diab’s death raises the number of Palestinians who have died in Israeli custody since 1967 to 328, including 91 since October 7, 2023. Gaza’s Prisoners’ Ministry called for an international investigation, accountability and the return of Diab’s body. More broadly, the report places the case within continuing scrutiny of Israel’s detention system, including administrative detention and other forms of custody used for Palestinians without formal charges in some cases.