The first known Palestinian child to be killed in an Israeli prison, Walid Khalid Abdullah Ahmad, was starved, had untreated diseases, and was repeatedly beaten by guards before he died last month, his autopsy report shows.
The autopsy shows that Ahmad suffered from “extreme body muscle and fat wasting, evidenced by a sunken abdomen,” caused by “extreme, likely prolonged malnutrition,” reported Defense for Children International-Palestine (DCIP) on Thursday. His body also showed evidence that he had been beaten on his chest and abdomen while imprisoned, as shown by air collection, the group said.
At the time of his death, Ahmad also suffered from diseases like scabies and colitis, which likely caused diarrhea and dehydration. He had a number of abrasions and cuts, present on his nose, chest, hip and neck.
His autopsy was conducted in a facility in Tel Aviv. Israeli authorities are withholding his body from his family.
“Walid’s autopsy indicates that Israeli prison guards systematically starved and abused him for months until he finally collapsed, struck his head, and died,” said Ayed Abu Eqtaish, head of DCIP’s accountability program.
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