They were forced to hand one son over to the Israeli army in return for another. Eight months later he was dead in prison
Forced to Trade One Son for Another, the Palestinian Family Grieves as the Second Dies in Custody
The Tazaza family in Qabatiya, a northern West Bank town, continues to mourn the loss of their son Ahmad, who died in Israel’s Megiddo prison on 3 August 2025. His parents describe a haunting decision that led to his fate.
Ahmad, a 20-year-old with no prior medical issues, was surrendered to Israeli authorities in January 2025 in the occupied West Bank. His parents remain puzzled about why their youngest son became a target, though the circumstances mirror those of countless Palestinian youths.
A Detention Without Trial
He was held as an administrative detainee, a method allowing indefinite imprisonment without charges, legal representation, or trial. By September 2025, over 10,000 Palestinian men were classified as “security prisoners,” with 7,425 from the West Bank and East Jerusalem, according to Israeli Prison Service records.
Months prior, Israeli forces had repeatedly raided the Tazaza home, subjecting the family to threats and intimidation. “They smashed the house and destroyed everything,” said Najah Abdul Qader, Ahmad’s mother. “He was not at home; he was working at the market and sleeping there that night. They took his brother and father. In the morning, they released them and said, ‘We want him’.”
“An Israeli soldier had threatened to bomb the house if Ahmad did not hand himself in,” Qader recounted. “He had already escaped once by leaping from a car as it was crushed by a bulldozer.”
After failing to locate Ahmad, the authorities detained his brother again. Saeed Tazaza, Ahmad’s father, described the exchange: “They said: ‘We will not release him until you bring your [other] son.’ His brother is married with two children. So we told Ahmad we wanted to see him. We caught him and took him.”
Delivered to the Salem checkpoint near Jenin, Ahmad was handed over by his parents. “He looked at us and I knew he would not return,” Qader said. “I felt he was not coming back when he turned his face and walked away.”
Initially, the family believed they had spared Ahmad’s life. “We were forced, and we handed him over. What could we do? This is our fate,” his father stated. “I handed my son to my enemy. But that’s it. We wanted to protect him.”
Yet, as the months passed, their hope faded. Ahmad’s mother recalled his words: “Mum, they torture people in prison.” She had urged him, “Let them torture you, but not kill you, not shoot you.” Today, she says, “They shoot a person who has done nothing.”
The Post-Mortem Report
According to a post-mortem report reviewed by Middle East Eye, Ahmad died at age 21 in Megiddo prison. The document, dated 8 August, was authored by a PHRI Israel doctor, who noted he had been “reported to be healthy” at detention.
His prison records mentioned minor ailments like diarrhoea and scabies, along with a sore throat before his death. On 2 August, an on-call physician observed blood stains on his trousers. During a clinic visit, Ahmad requested to use the toilet and later collapsed, losing consciousness and vital signs. Resuscitation efforts failed, resulting in his death.
The report suggested possible signs of serious blood cancer, such as acute leukaemia or aggressive lymphoma, but ruled out sudden death causes. However, the family disputes the findings, as they have not seen Ahmad’s body. Their knowledge of his condition has come mostly through accounts from released prisoners.
Qader expressed regret: “I handed my son to death with my own hands. I handed him to my enemy. But that’s it. We wanted to protect him.” The International Committee of the Red Cross has yet to access the prisoner’s remains, leaving the family in unresolved anguish.
