Israeli court closes case into Palestinian teen’s death despite evidence of starvation
Human rights experts slam court ruling and ongoing impunity as prisoner deaths mount

An Israeli court has drawn criticism after closing an investigation into the death of a Palestinian teenager in custody, despite finding indications he had been starved prior to his death.

Walid Ahmad, a 17-year-old from the occupied West Bank, died in Israeli custody in March 2025, six months after he was detained for allegedly throwing stones, according to the Palestinian Commission of Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs.

Judge Ehud Kaplan ruled the case should be closed, stating there was no proven link between Ahmad’s deteriorating physical condition, such as severe weight loss and infection, and the immediate cause of his death. Details of the ruling emerged on Tuesday after a gag order was lifted.

Nadia Dakka, a human rights lawyer who has followed the case, criticised the decision as reflecting a narrow legal approach that fails to address the broader conditions contributing to detainees’ deaths.

“There are indications that he died as a result of starvation, but the discussion focused on whether starvation was the immediate cause of death,” she told Middle East Eye.
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https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/israeli-court-closes-case-palestinian-teen-death-despite-evidence-starvation

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