Life of Palestinian PFLP leader held illegally by Israel for 19 years is at risk, rights group warns

The life of the Secretary-General of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), Ahmad Sa’adat, is gravely endangered following a brutal beating he endured in Israeli prisons, a Palestinian prisoners’ advocacy group has warned.

Abdullah al-Zaghari, the head of the Palestinian Prisoners’ Society, stated that 72-year-old Sa’adat experienced “severe beating” while being transferred from Megiddo Prison in the northern part of the Israeli-occupied territories to Gilboa Prison in the south. However, no additional details about the incident or its specific timing were provided.

“Sa’adat’s health condition is difficult, and the Israeli assaults pose a threat to his life,” he said.

Zaghari stated that the assault on Sa’adat comes as part of the continued targeting of Palestinian leaders, carried out under the directives of hawkish Israeli minister Itamar Ben-Gvir.

“Israeli policies pose a threat to Sa’adat’s life and the lives of all leaders of the prisoners’ movement, who are subjected to brutal assaults despite the ceasefire agreement in Gaza.”

Zaghari called for “providing protection for the detainees, who are living under extremely harsh and oppressive conditions.”

Sa’adat has been held in an Israeli prison since 2006, serving a 30-year sentence on trumped-up charges of involvement in the 2001 assassination of Israeli tourism minister Rehavam Zeevi.

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According to the Asra Media Office (AMO), documented testimonies confirm that Sa’adat has been subjected to repeated raids on his isolation cell, degrading searches, and physical violence.

The rights group reported a severe decline in Sa’adat's health, noting considerable weight loss.

His family said Sa’adat had earlier suffered from scabies and faced severe mistreatment in Israeli prisons.

In March, he was assaulted during his transfer from Ramon Prison to Megiddo Prison and left for hours in the prison yard with his hands bound and his head covered.

The conditions under which Israel holds Palestinian abductees are deeply concerning, marked by unsatisfactory hygiene practices. Additionally, these abductees continue to face ongoing torture, mistreatment, and systemic oppression.

Palestinian prisoners have repeatedly engaged in prolonged hunger strikes as a form of protest against their unjust abduction.

Human rights organizations report that Israel persists in breaching the rights and freedoms guaranteed to detainees under the Fourth Geneva Convention and international law.

The Palestine Detainees Studies Center states that approximately 60 percent of Palestinian abductees held illegally in Israeli prisons endure chronic illnesses.

Tragically, a significant number have lost their lives either while imprisoned or shortly after their release, due to the severity of their medical conditions.

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