Four Palestinian prisoners infected with coronavirus in Israeli jail
Israeli authorities urged to release Palestinian prisoners, mainly elderly
Dubai: The Palestinian Prisoners’ Club on Thursday confirmed that four prisoners had been infected with coronavirus in the Israeli Megiddo prison. The virus was transmitted from a Palestinian prisoner who got the infection from an Israeli investigator when he was under investigation at the Petit Tikva Investigation Centre.
The Israeli prison administration has officially informed the Palestinian prisoners in the jail, which has been placed under a state of alert.
In reaction, the Palestinian Prime Minister has called on Israel to take all safety and prevention measures to protect Palestinians in Israeli prisons.
Local Palestinian human rights organisations appealed to international bodies and World Health Organisations to immediately interfere and apply pressure on Israel to take the necessary preventive and safety measures to protect the lives of thousands of prisoners.
The European Alliance in Defence of Palestinian Detainees called on Israeli authorities to release Palestinian prisoners, primarily the elderly, women and children as well as prisoners with chronic diseases so that they could protect themselves in their homes and families.
The alliance issued a statement that holds the occupation authorities fully responsible for the lives of Palestinian prisoners. It appealed to international institutions, human rights organisations and all forces of justice and peace to put pressure on the occupation government to pay attention to prisoners’ lives and safety above any other considerations.
“Not releasing Palestinian prisoners would be tantamount to premeditated murder,” the statement said.
Meanwhile, Israel’s Ministry of Health on Thursday announced 102 coronavirus cases in one day, bringing the total number of infections to 529. This comes as Israeli security institutions continue prepare for a full lockdown, due to the growing number of infections.
Since Tuesday, Israeli authorities have taken stricter and more precise measures to limit the spread of the Covid-19 virus, to monitor those where were in contact with infected patients.
Among its measures people who return to Israel from anywhere in the world must be placed under home isolation for 14 days, counting from their date of return.