Ramallah, September 20, 2025
Human rights organizations have expressed grave concern over the deteriorating health of Palestinian detainee Fidaa Assaf, who has been held in Israeli prisons for the past seven months. Assaf, a resident of Kafr Laqif near Qalqilya, suffers from leukemia, and rights groups say her condition has worsened due to systematic medical neglect.
Prisoner support organizations reported that Assaf, currently held at Damon Prison, is facing a life-threatening situation as her cancer markers continue to rise. Her lawyer confirmed that before her arrest her illness was stable, but recent medical tests indicate a dangerous escalation linked to detention conditions.
According to testimonies shared by Assaf, female detainees are routinely deprived of basic necessities, including hygiene products, adequate clothing, and access to canteen purchases. Prison authorities have also severely restricted outdoor recreation, granting only 20 minutes a day after a complete ban in recent weeks. Legal visits remain suspended under ongoing emergency measures.
Assaf recounted being arrested on February 24, 2025, while returning from medical tests at the Ramallah Medical Complex. She said she was subjected to repeated strip searches, verbal abuse, and placed in an insect-infested cell without food or water for several days.
Rights groups argue that Assaf’s case reflects broader concerns over the treatment of Palestinian female prisoners, many of whom report poor living conditions, restricted healthcare, and denial of basic rights. Advocates have called on international bodies to intervene urgently, warning that failure to provide proper medical treatment could cost Assaf her life.
Assaf is a married mother from Kafr Laqif in the Qalqilya Governorate. Her case has become a rallying point for Palestinian organizations demanding accountability for what they describe as Israel’s deliberate policy of neglect toward detainees’ health.
