Senior Palestinian resistance fighter and co-founder of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade, Nasser Abu Hmaid – who has been held in Israeli prison since 2002 – passed away on the morning of 20 December after a year-long battle with advanced lung cancer, the Palestinian Prisoners Society (PPS) said in a statement.

According to the statement, Abu Hmaid fell into a coma two days earlier, and on 19 December, was transferred from Ayalon Prison (Ramla Prison-Clinic) to another Israeli hospital, where he died as a result of several years of medical negligence.

Several appeals to have him released for treatment outside of prison were denied, and Israeli authorities have been accused by his family, fellow Palestinians, and rights groups of deliberately refusing to treat him properly.

“The occupation is proceeding with the decision of executing and killing Nasser Abu Hmaid in this brutal and heinous way,” the Waed Prisoners Association said on 18 December.

Fatah and the Palestinian Authority (PA), who are linked to the rogue Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade resistance faction, have called for a day of rage and mourning, as well as general strikes in the city of Ramallah and all across the West Bank

The Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), Hamas, and other factions have also released statements holding Israel responsible for the rapid deterioration of Abu Hmaid’s health. The resistance condemned the international silence on his death and the general mistreatment of sick and dying Palestinians within the Israeli prison system.

In Hamas’ statement, spokesman Hazem Qassem called for a mass Palestinian uprising in response to Israel’s policy of neglect toward prisoners.

In their statement, the PPS added that around 600 Palestinian resistance fighters are currently suffering from severe illnesses across Israeli prisons.

In a final message before his death, Abu Hmaid was quoted to have said: “I bow in homage to all the sons of our patient Palestinian people … I am nearing the end of the road, but I am reassured and confident that I am first a Palestinian and I am proud, leaving behind a great people who will not forget my cause and the [cause] of the prisoners.”