Palestinians slam Israel for death of Palestinian inmate

The Palestinian government on Sunday slammed Israel after the death of a Palestinian inmate and held it responsible for his death.

Israel announced Sunday morning that 40-year-old Yasser Dhiab Hamdouneh died while in custody after a stroke that hit him.

Hamdouneh was incarcerated in Ramon prison, serving life sentence since March 2003. He had been suffering from recurrent shortness of breath, heart problems and pain in his left ear for a long time, said Palestinian sources.

Palestinian government spokesperson Yousef Al-Mahmoud said in a press statement that "the government holds Israel and its so-called prisons authority and medical staff, fully responsible for the death of Yasser Dhiab Hamdouneh."

Al-Mahmoud called on all international legal and humanitarian organizations to move immediately to release Palestinian prisoners, especially the ill and children.

The Palestinians said that 1,800 of Palestinian prisoners are suffering difficult health conditions. Endit