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 endure sorrow and remorse following their son’s demise in August 2025 at Israel’s infamous Megiddo prison.

Ahmad, a 20-year-old in robust health with no prior medical issues, was surrendered to Israeli forces in the West Bank’s occupied territory in January 2025.

Ahmad’s parents remain puzzled about the reason their youngest brother was targeted. Yet, the conditions of his arrest mirror those endured by countless Palestinian youths.

Ahmad was subjected to administrative detention, allowing indefinite imprisonment without formal charges or legal proceedings. By September 2025, Israeli authorities had detained 10,465 Palestinian men as “security prisoners,” with 7,425 from the West Bank and East Jerusalem, per official data.

For months, Israeli security forces repeatedly raided the Tazaza family’s home in Qabatiya, a town in the northern West Bank, searching for Ahmad. The family endured threats and intimidation.

“They smashed the house and destroyed everything,” said Najah Abdul Qader, Ahmad’s mother.

He was away at the market, sleeping there that night when Israeli forces seized his brother and father. The next morning, they were released with the demand: “We want him.”

Later, Qader recounted an Israeli soldier threatening to bomb their home unless Ahmad surrendered himself. He had previously evaded capture by leaping from a vehicle as it was crushed by a bulldo