The Palestinian Authority (PA) demanded Israel to immediately release detainee, Mohammad Majed Hassan, who had contracted the COVID-19 during his arrest.
Secretary General of the Palestine Liberation Organization’s (PLO) Executive Committee, Saeb Erekat urged Hassan’s immediate release, saying his continued detention is a blatant violation of Israel's “obligations under international humanitarian law.”
"We hold Israel fully responsible for his life and demand his immediate release,” he said, calling on international community and the UN Secretary-General to pressure Israel to free him so that he can receive the proper medical treatment.
Israeli forces arrested Hassan from his home in Deir al-Sudan, north of Ramallah, on Wednesday.
Palestinian Health Minister Mai al-Kaila said the detainee is a student at Birzeit University and he is being held in the Maskubiyya detention center in Jerusalem.
Hassan’s medical tests showed that he is infected with the coronavirus, while tests on his family members all came back negative, according to the minister.
Israel confirmed that Hassan was tested at the moment of his arrest, and the results came back positive even though he did not show any symptoms.
Majed Hassan, the detainee’s father, urged the concerned authorities to release his son. Majed is a former detainee and spent over 10 years in Israeli prisons. Mohammed’s sister, Shatha, who is also a student at Birzeit University, was arrested by Israeli forces in December.
Hamas held Israel fully responsible for Mohammed’s life.
Hamas leader Fathi al-Qarawi said that the prisoner’s arbitrary arrest, followed by his infection with the coronavirus, reflects the reality of the Palestinian people who are subject to crimes daily.
The issue must be brought up before all relevant authorities, especially the international community, he demanded.
