Featured image: A News / Anadolu Agency.
Bethlehem, Occupied West Bank, August 4, 2026
A Family Facing an Unthinkable Separation
As the four-day permit granted to the parents of 15-year-old Mohammad Mousa Suleiman Hamid comes to an end, they are preparing for the painful possibility of leaving Jerusalem while their son remains unconscious in an intensive care unit.
The Palestinian teenager, who was arrested by Israeli forces in February, is fighting for his life after suffering severe medical complications that his family and the Palestinian Prisoner’s Society (PPS) attribute to months of inadequate medical care during his detention.
Mohammad, from the town of Tuqu’ near Bethlehem, was taken from his home on February 25, 2026, and transferred to the juvenile section of Ofer Prison, according to the PPS. His family says he was a healthy teenager with no underlying medical conditions before his arrest.
For months, they say, they received little information about his well-being and were unable to visit him. It was only after his health dramatically deteriorated that they learned the extent of his condition.
A Medical Crisis During Detention
According to family spokesperson Jalil Hamid, Mohammad developed scabies while in detention and did not receive appropriate treatment. He alleges that the infection worsened over time, eventually leading to severe complications affecting multiple organs.
The Palestinian Prisoner’s Society reports that Mohammad later suffered from a high fever, a urinary tract infection, and elevated blood sugar levels. He was transferred to Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Jerusalem on July 20 but, according to the organization, was returned to prison before completing treatment. Five days later, he was rushed back to the hospital after his condition became critical.
Doctors reportedly discovered extensive blood clotting, damage to heart valves, and an infection that had spread to his heart and brain. He underwent emergency open-heart surgery and received an artificial heart valve.
Unconscious and Facing Possible Amputation
Today, Mohammad remains unconscious in intensive care.
His family says doctors have warned that insufficient blood flow to his right leg could require an amputation above the knee if his condition does not improve. They also describe his overall prognosis as extremely serious.
The family further alleges that Mohammad remained shackled while hospitalized, despite being unconscious for much of his treatment.
His release from detention came only after his condition became critical. According to the family, an Israeli court ordered his unconditional release without bail once doctors determined that he was no longer fit to remain in custody. They argue that the decision came too late and does not absolve Israeli authorities of responsibility for his condition.
His Parents’ Permits Set to Expire
The family’s immediate concern, however, extends beyond Mohammad’s medical treatment.
His parents were granted permits allowing them to visit him in Jerusalem for only four days. Those permits expire today, and their request for an extension was rejected by Israeli authorities, according to the family.
“They are living every parent’s nightmare,” relatives said, describing the emotional toll of potentially being forced to leave their son while he remains unconscious.
The Palestinian Prisoner’s Society says its legal team is continuing to pursue the case, while Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders) has reportedly been working to help secure renewed permits that would allow Mohammad’s parents to remain at his bedside.
Calls for Medical Oversight and Accountability
The family has appealed to international medical and human rights organizations to monitor Mohammad’s condition and ensure that he receives appropriate care. They are also requesting permission for Palestinian doctors to participate in evaluating his treatment.
Mohammad’s case has become a focal point for Palestinian prisoner advocacy groups, which argue that it reflects wider concerns about healthcare for Palestinian detainees, especially minors held in Israeli custody. They have called for an independent investigation into the circumstances of his detention and the medical treatment he received.
Meanwhile, in Tuqu’ and across the Bethlehem district, relatives and neighbors continue to wait anxiously for news from the hospital. For Mohammad’s parents, every hour is marked by uncertainty as they hope their son regains consciousness before they are required to leave his bedside.