Huzaifa Abdalkarim Hawash al-Awawdah, a terminally ill Palestinian prisoner, who was held in custody by Israeli authorities for a staggering 38 years, has tragically passed away. The news of his passing reverberated fiercely around the globe, highlighting the quandary of the Palestinian prisoners in Israeli detention facilities.
Hawash was a member of the Palestinian Fatah movement and was put behind bars in 1982, accused of anti-Israel activities during the long-drawn-out and disputed occupation. In the ebb and flow of his 38-year-long ordeal, his health deteriorated progressively, largely due to the inadequate medical care reported in numerous Israeli prisons.
The news broke out when the Palestinian Prisoners’ Society (PPS) announced that Hawash succumbed to his illness at Barzilai Medical Center in Ashkelon, Israel, where he was under medical guards. He had been fighting against throat cancer which was diagnosed only very late due to reported negligence over health concerns. His deteriorating health condition became a contentious topic, with rights groups and activists arguing that premature diagnosis and treatment may have saved or at least prolonged his life.
Various Human Rights organizations, including the Israeli Human Rights group B’Tselem, have been critically vocal about the living conditions of Palestinian prisoners. They lamented the lack of regular health check-ups, effective treatments, and the prevalent negligence of chronic illnesses, which they state, risks the lives of many inmates, not unlike Huzaifa Abdalkarim Hawash al-Awawdah. The case of Hawash will perchance stoke a renewed call for the International community to pay attention and act against such reported medical negligence.
Another significant concern raised by Hawash’s demise is the restriction put forth by Israeli policy on imprisoned individuals from Palestine. Reports suggest that these prisoners are only released when their health condition becomes terminal or they are at the end of life stages. This policy, referred to as the policy of slow death by critics, is a subject of international condemnation. Analysts believe that Hawash’s unfortunate demise, showcasing same, will fuel further criticisms.
Al-Awawdah’s passing is a grim revelation of the larger issue of the detention of Palestinian political prisoners in Israeli correction facilities. The total number of such prisoners ranges around 5,000, with hundreds of them reportedly suffering from health problems. Many under detention are also serving sentences similar in length to that of Hawash, which consequently increases their risk of health-related problems further.
Yet, in the midst of this legal and humanitarian predicament, there are individuals who have shown resilience, serving decades in confinement for their political beliefs. Hawash’s life, despite the tragic end, embodies the spirit of endurance and resistance.
Hawash’s death, much like his life held in confinement, opens up a worldwide conversation on the plight of Palestinian inmates and the inhumane conditions they reportedly face. As nations across the globe pay their solemn respects to Hawash, his story makes for a compelling argument towards international involvement for Palestinian prisoners’ rights, especially their right to accessible and appropriate healthcare.
Huzaifa Abdalkarim Hawash al-Awawdah’s life story, heavily marked by years within an Israeli prison, underlines the pressing need for a scrutiny of the norms governing the constitution and running of prisons, and a stark analysis of the prisoner healthcare systems in place. As the echoes of his sad demise are heard far and wide, the hope remains for his story to be a catalyst towards positive change in the imprisonment conditions of Palestinian prisoners.
