Return of the Body After Prolonged Detention
The Israeli occupation authorities transferred the body of the martyred child prisoner Waleed Khaled Ahmad to his family on Thursday. The teenager, aged 17 and from the town of Salwad east of Ramallah, had been held by the regime for approximately 20 months since his death inside Magdi prison on March 24, 2025.
Waleed was initially arrested by occupation forces on September 30, 2024. He remained in detention for roughly six months before dying within the prison facility. According to data released by the Palestinian Prisoners’ Affairs Commission and the Palestinian Prisoners Club, his death occurred under harsh detention conditions that included deliberate starvation, denial of medical treatment, and lack of adequate healthcare.
Medical Findings and Legal Closure
Autopsy results announced by the aforementioned organizations in April 2025 indicated that starvation was the primary cause of the deterioration of Waleed’s health leading to his death. The medical examination revealed that he suffered from scabies, severe dehydration, and food shortages. Furthermore, the report noted a significant loss of muscle mass and fat reserves, alongside serious health complications resulting from the prolonged deprivation.
In December 2025, an occupation court in Haifa closed the investigation file regarding the circumstances of his death. The court cited the exhaustion of investigative channels as the reason for the closure, despite medical evidence pointing to starvation and health decline prior to his demise.
Ongoing Detention of Martyrs’ Bodies
With the handover of Waleed Ahmad’s body, the occupation authorities continue to hold the remains of 98 martyrs from the prisoner movement since 1967, according to figures provided by the Prisoners’ Affairs Commission and the Prisoners Club. Among those who died since the start of the war on October 7, 2023, the regime is still withholding the bodies of 87 martyrs out of a total of 92.
