The Palestinian Center for the Defense of Prisoners has launched a powerful media campaign titled “Who Is Next?” following the tragic death of longtime Palestinian detainee Imad Sarhan inside Israel’s Gilboa Prison, underscoring the lethal risks facing hundreds of ill prisoners under Israeli detention.

According to the organization, Sarhan became the 90th Palestinian prisoner to die in Israeli custody since the beginning of Israel’s war on Gaza nearly two years ago, and the 327th Palestinian prisoner martyr recorded since 1967.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the center’s director, Lina Al-Tawil, described the campaign as an urgent warning to the international community and a call for immediate action to prevent further deaths among Palestinian detainees.

“The question ‘Who Is Next?’ reflects the fears shared by prisoners’ families and human rights advocates that more detainees, particularly the sick and vulnerable, may lose their lives due to ongoing abuses and medical neglect,” Al-Tawil said.

Concerns Over Sick Prisoners

Al-Tawil stressed that Sarhan’s death has intensified concerns regarding the fate of hundreds of ill Palestinian prisoners who remain behind bars under what rights groups describe as increasingly harsh conditions.

She warned that many detainees are being denied adequate medical treatment while suffering from chronic illnesses and injuries, placing their lives at constant risk.

According to the center, Palestinian prisoners are facing an unprecedented escalation in punitive measures, including prolonged isolation, severe restrictions, starvation policies, physical assaults, and what it described as systematic medical neglect.

“These practices effectively transform illness into a slow death sentence,” Al-Tawil stated.

The week-long campaign aims to shed light on the humanitarian and health conditions inside Israeli prisons, document the daily suffering of detainees, and raise awareness of allegations that sick prisoners are being deprived of essential healthcare.

The campaign will also seek to amplify the voices of prisoners’ families and advocate for international intervention to ensure the protection of Palestinian detainees.

The Palestinian Center for the Defense of Prisoners called on the United Nations, the International Committee of the Red Cross, and international human rights organizations to take urgent measures to safeguard Palestinian prisoners, particularly those suffering from illness.

The organization urged the international community to pressure Israeli authorities to end alleged abuses, allow independent monitoring of detention facilities, and guarantee that prisoners receive adequate medical treatment in accordance with international humanitarian law.

Human rights advocates have repeatedly warned that the conditions facing Palestinian detainees require immediate international attention, stressing that continued inaction risks further loss of life inside Israeli prisons. (ILKHA)