Starvation likely led to the death of a 17-year-old Palestinian boy who died in Israeli custody, according to an Israeli doctor who observed the autopsy.

Walid Ahmad, detained for six months without charge, showed signs of severe malnutrition, colon inflammation, and scabies, according to a report by Dr. Daniel Solomon. Solomon, a gastrointestinal surgeon, was permitted by an Israeli civil court to observe the autopsy at the request of Ahmad’s family. The autopsy was conducted by Israeli experts at the Abu Kabir Forensic Institute on March 27.

The Associated Press reviewed Solomon’s report, which did not determine an official cause of death but described Ahmad as emaciated with muscle wasting. The report also referenced records from the prison medical clinic showing that Ahmad had repeatedly complained about inadequate food since December.

Palestinian officials said Ahmad collapsed and hit his head at Megiddo Prison, where he was being held. The Israeli prison service has launched an internal investigation into his death and said findings would be forwarded to the proper authorities.

Physicians for Human Rights Israel said Ahmad is the youngest Palestinian to die in Israeli custody since the war in Gaza began. He was arrested in a pre-dawn raid on his home in the occupied West Bank in September for allegedly throwing stones at soldiers, according to his family.

The Abu Kabir Forensic Institute has not released its own findings and declined to comment. Ahmad's family lawyer, Nadia Daqqa, confirmed Solomon’s participation in the autopsy.

Rights groups cite mistreatment in Israeli prisons

Human rights organizations have reported widespread abuse in Israeli detention centers, particularly since the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack that sparked the war. The Palestinian Authority claims that 72 Palestinians have died in Israeli custody, 61 of them since the war began. Israel frequently withholds the bodies of Palestinians who die in prison, citing security concerns or political reasons.

Former detainees have described worsening prison conditions, including beatings, overcrowding, lack of medical care, scabies outbreaks, and poor hygiene. Megiddo Prison, where many Palestinians are held without charge—including minors—is known for particularly harsh conditions, said Naji Abbas from Physicians for Human Rights Israel.

The Israeli prison service has maintained that all inmates are treated in accordance with the law and guaranteed basic rights.

Ahmad’s other lawyer, Firas al-Jabrini, said Israeli authorities denied his requests to visit the teen in prison. However, three fellow inmates told him that Ahmad suffered from diarrhea, vomiting, headaches, and dizziness in the days before his death. They believed contaminated water and spoiled dairy products, left out while inmates fasted during Ramadan, were to blame.

Doctor's report points to severe malnutrition

According to Solomon’s report, Ahmad likely had colitis, a type of intestinal inflammation that causes diarrhea and can be fatal when combined with other health issues. Medical experts who reviewed the report for AP said the condition was likely aggravated by malnutrition.

“He suffered from starvation that led to severe malnutrition and in combination with untreated colitis that caused dehydration and electrolyte levels disturbances in his blood which can cause heart rate abnormalities and death,” said Dr. Lina Qasem Hassan, head of the board at Physicians for Human Rights Israel.

She added that Ahmad’s weakened state made him unable to fight off infection or illness.

Dr. Arne Stray-Pedersen, a forensic medicine expert at the University of Oslo, also reviewed the report and said it indicated prolonged illness and starvation. “Based on the report, I interpret the underlying cause of death to be emaciation-wasting,” he said.

Solomon’s report also noted scabies rashes on Ahmad’s legs and genital area, and air between his lungs that had spread to his neck and back—a condition that can lead to infections and may result from severe vomiting or coughing.

Ahmad’s family said he was a healthy high school student who loved playing soccer before his arrest. His father, Khalid Ahmad, recalled that during one of the brief court hearings held via videoconference in February, his son appeared visibly unwell.

As of Friday, the family had not received a death certificate and hoped Solomon’s report would help them recover Ahmad’s body.

“We will demand our son’s body for burial,” his father said. “What is happening in Israeli prisons is a real tragedy, as there is no value for life.”