Ramallah: The family of Palestinian prisoner Thaer Halahlah, who has been on a hunger strike for 77 days, yesterday urged Israel to act humanely and allow the inmate to see his daughter Lamar at least once before he dies. Halahlah has never seen his daughter who was born while he was behind bars on administrative detention.
Israel has repeatedly denied Halahlah's family the right to visit him in hospital. Now, the family demands that two-year-old Lamar be allowed to see her father on humanitarian grounds.
Speaking to Gulf News, Aziz Halahlah, the prisoner's father, said that physicians of the Red Cross have told the family that his son was fighting for his life. "The medical condition of my son Thaer is very critical. He suffers heart failure, drop in pulse, bleeding in the mouth and nose," he said.
"Before the expected tragedy of Thaer's death takes place, we urge the Israelis to allow the little girl, Lamar, to see her father and get to know him," he said.
No family escorts
"None of the family members will accompany her. She will be taken by the Red Cross officials to meet her father," he said. "It is time for the Israelis to have mercy and act on humanitarian grounds," he said.
Halahlah's family had sent a few pictures of Lamar via the Red Cross but the Israeli Prison Service seized them. They are now asking Halahlah to end his fast in return for seeing the pictures.
"Thaer does not have anything to do with other prisoners' demands of improving prison conditions. He wants to return home after eight administrative detention orders," his father said. "Thaer will continue his fast till the Israelis put an end to his administrative detention."
