Prisoners ministry calls for releasing Gazan sick detainee

[ 14/01/2010 - 10:35 AM ]

GAZA, (PIC)-- The ministry of prisoners in the Gaza Strip has asked international organizations to pressure the Israeli occupation authority (IOA) to free Gazan prisoner Nassim Khattab who badly needs urgent medical attention. The ministry in a press release on Wednesday said that Khattab was arrested on 20/11/2003 and was sentenced to 12 years in jail. It noted that Khattab was hit with the shrapnel of an army tank shell that slammed near him a year earlier that damaged his intestines and both feet. He underwent four surgeries at the Shifa hospital but did not recover and the wounds damaged his colon and he could not move move his legs without the help of others, the ministry added. It said that Khattab was detained at the Abu Holi roadblock while on his way to Egypt for medical treatment. The ministry said that Khattab moves with the help of crutches inside the IOA jails and was admitted to Ramle prison hospital more than ten times but his health condition did not improve. It said that he recently complained of severe pain in his feet. The ministry charged that the IOA's continued detention of seriously ill Palestinians was in violation of the international treaties that stipulate the release of sick detainees suffering serious illnesses.