RAMALLAH, Saturday, April 4, 2020 (WAFA) - Minister of Health, Mai al-Kaileh, confirmed today that Minister of Jerusalem Affairs, Fadi al-Hidmi, who was detained for a few hours yesterday by Israeli occupation forces, was forced to wear a face mask contaminated with blood during his brief detention.

Al-Kaileh described the Israeli forces‘ behavior as a "heinous war crime" by exposing al-Hidmi to the risk of willful infection, an act which violates all international and humanitarian laws, covenants and norms.

She held the Israeli government fully responsible for the lives of the Palestinian political prisoners in its detention especially during the current Covid-19 (cornavirus) outbreak in Israel, at a time Israeli authorities continue to reject to provide the prisoners with the necessary medical supplies and disinfectants.   

Al-Kaileh called on the international community, the World Health Organization and the International Committee of the Red Cross to immediately intervene to stop Israel‘s violations against the Palestinian prisoners to prevent the spread the Covid-19 pandemic among them.

Over 7500 cases of novel Covid-19 and 44 deaths have been confirmed in Israel so far.

M.N