They were forced to hand one son over to the Israeli army in return for another. Eight months later he was dead in prison
Ahmad Tazaza’s parents are consumed by sorrow and remorse after their son’s death in Israeli custody
Ahmad Tazaza, a 20-year-old with no known medical history, was handed over to the Israeli military in January 2025 in the West Bank. His family’s grief deepened eight months later when he died in Megiddo prison, as revealed by a post-mortem report shared with Middle East Eye.
His parents remain haunted by the decision to trade one son for another. They had surrendered Ahmad to authorities in exchange for his brother, who was detained a second time. “We were forced, and we handed him over. What could we do? This is our fate,” his father said, reflecting on the moment.
The Exchange
According to his mother, Najah Abdul Qader, Israeli forces had targeted their home in Qabatiya multiple times, searching for Ahmad. She recounted how the family was threatened and their property destroyed. “They smashed the house and destroyed everything,” she told Middle East Eye.
“He was not at home; he was working at the market and was sleeping there that night. They took his brother and his father. In the morning, they released them and said, ‘We want him’.”
Qader later described how an Israeli soldier had pressured Ahmad to surrender. “They threatened to bomb the house if he didn’t hand himself in,” she said. Ahmad had evaded capture before, fleeing as an Israeli bulldozer crushed his car.
Prison Conditions
After being detained, Ahmad was held as an administrative prisoner—a form of indefinite detention without charge or trial. Israeli Prison Service data from September 2025 showed 10,465 Palestinian men were held under such conditions, with 7,425 from the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
The family’s hope for his release was short-lived. They believed he would spend time in prison and return, but their son’s fate took a tragic turn. “I handed my son over because I was afraid for him. I was afraid he would die,” his father explained.
“He said to me, ‘Mum, they torture people in prison’. I told him, ‘Let them torture you, but not kill you, not shoot you’. Today in the street they shoot a person who has done nothing.”
Ahmad’s death occurred on 3 August 2025, as detailed in a post-mortem report dated 8 August. The document, prepared by a doctor affiliated with Physicians for Human Rights Israel, noted he was described as “healthy” at the time of detention. However, his records listed symptoms including diarrhoea, scabies, and a sore throat in the days before his death.
The Medical Report
During a clinic visit on 2 August, blood stains were observed on Ahmad’s trousers. The report described how he requested to use the restroom, collapsed, and lost consciousness. Despite resuscitation efforts, he was declared dead.
The findings hinted at possible signs of severe blood cancer, such as acute leukaemia or aggressive lymphoma. Yet, the absence of his body, still held by Israeli authorities, has led his parents to challenge the official account of his death.
Without the ability to visit or speak with Ahmad during his eight-month imprisonment, the family relied on secondhand accounts from released prisoners. “We couldn’t see him or speak with him during his eight-month imprisonment,” his mother said. “News about him came from other prisoners after their release.”
