They were forced to hand one son over to the Israeli army in return for another. Eight months later he was dead in prison
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 regret over their son’s August 2025 demise in Israel’s infamous Megiddo prison. The tragedy has left them grappling with profound loss and the weight of decisions made under duress.
At 20, Ahmad was a fit and healthy young man with no prior medical issues. His family surrendered him to Israeli authorities in January 2025 in the West Bank, as part of an exchange for his older brother. The circumstances of his arrest mirrored those of countless Palestinian youths detained by the military.
Ahmad was held as an administrative detainee, a method allowing indefinite imprisonment without charge, trial, or legal representation. By September 2025, Israeli Prison Service data showed 10,465 Palestinian men were detained under “security prisoners” status, including 7,425 from the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
His family’s home in Qabatiya, a northern West Bank town, became a target for Israeli security forces. Over weeks, the household endured repeated searches, intimidation, and threats. “They smashed the house and destroyed everything,” recounted Najah Abdul Qader, Ahmad’s mother, in an interview with Middle East Eye.
“He was not at home; he was working at the market and sleeping there that night. They took his brother and his father. In the morning, they released them and said, ‘We want him’.”
Later, Qader described an Israeli soldier warning her that the house would be bombed if Ahmad didn’t surrender. He had narrowly avoided capture before by leaping from a vehicle as it was crushed by a bulldozer.
Saeed Tazaza, Ahmad’s father, shared the moment the family was forced into a deal. “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.”
With their other son in tow, the parents delivered Ahmad to the Salem checkpoint near Jenin. “We handed him over,” Qader said, her voice trembling. “He looked at us and I knew he would not return. I felt he was not coming back when he turned his face and walked away.”
The parents initially believed they had saved his life, expecting a temporary imprisonment followed by release. “I handed my son over because I was afraid for him. I was afraid he would die,” his father said. “We were forced, and we handed him over. What could we do? This is our fate.”
Qader’s fears were echoed in her words: “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 was confirmed by a post-mortem report, dated 8 August 2025, conducted by a physician affiliated with Physicians for Human Rights Israel (PHRI). The report noted Ahmad had been described as healthy at the time of his detention. However, his prison records revealed he had been suffering from diarrhoea and scabies, and had mentioned a sore throat days before his death.
On 2 August, the on-call doctor observed blood stains on his trousers. The report detailed that during a clinic visit, Ahmad requested to use the restroom and then collapsed, losing consciousness and vital signs. Resuscitation efforts, including intubation and CPR, failed to save him.
Medical findings suggested possible signs of a severe blood cancer, such as acute leukaemia or aggressive lymphoma. The report excluded evidence of sudden death causes. Yet, without seeing his body, Ahmad’s parents challenge the account, insisting they were told of his death by an International Committee of the Red Cross liaison officer. The ICRC has not had access to Palestinians in custody to verify the details.
