Renowned Palestinian novelist and activist Walid Daqqa, who was imprisoned and battling cancer, has passed away at Israel’s Shamir Medical Center, as confirmed by the Palestinian Commission of Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs. Daqqa, originally from Baqa al-Gharbiyye, a city in Israel with a predominantly Palestinian population, spent 38 years in Israeli prisons. The commission stated that his death was a result of the harsh treatment of ill prisoners by the Israeli prison administration.
Protests have erupted in Ramallah in honor of Daqqa, who was set to be released next year. Described as a “freedom fighter” by the Palestinian state news agency Wafa, Daqqa’s death has sparked renewed commitment from Hamas to stand by imprisoned Palestinians until they are free. In contrast, Israel’s Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir referred to Daqqa as a “terrorist” and stated that Israel was not mourning his death as he had died from natural causes.
Daqqa, who was one of the most prominent Palestinian prisoners, was arrested in 1986 for killing an Israeli soldier and had been in custody ever since. Despite international pressure for his release due to his deteriorating health, Israel refused to let him go early, leading to his untimely death. His passing has highlighted the poor treatment of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails, with reports of delayed medical care and lack of essential treatments leading to multiple deaths over the years. Daqqa leaves behind a legacy as a Palestinian hero, with a wife, Sana Salameh, and a daughter named Milad.