SAFA- The Palestinian Ministry of Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs in Gaza has placed full responsibility on the Israeli occupation for the death of a Palestinian detainee, stating that the incident reflects a wider pattern of torture and mistreatment of Palestinian prisoners in detention.

In a statement issued Sunday, the ministry said the death of 36-year-old Ihab Mohammed Abdel Qader Diab from the Gaza Strip adds to a growing record of inhuman violations against Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli custody.

According to the ministry, the delayed announcement of Diab’s death, following a period during which his fate remained unknown, raises concerns about enforced disappearance and a lack of transparency surrounding detainees from Gaza.

The statement said that deaths in detention, particularly involving Gaza detainees, should not be viewed as isolated incidents or attributed solely to natural causes. It cited testimonies and reports of torture, mistreatment, denial of medical care, and harsh detention conditions.

The ministry called for an independent and transparent international investigation into the circumstances of Diab’s death, including clarification of where he had been held and the conditions of his detention. It also demanded accountability for those responsible and the return of his body to his family.

In addition, the ministry urged international organizations to press for disclosure of the whereabouts and conditions of other detainees from Gaza, whose cases it said remain unclear, and to ensure their legal and humanitarian rights are upheld.

The case has renewed attention on detention conditions and the broader issue of accountability amid the ongoing Israeli genocidal war.