They were forced to hand one son over to the Israeli army in return for another. Eight months later he was dead in prison

Family Forced to Surrender One Son for Another, Only to Lose Him in Prison

Ahmad Tazaza’s parents now live with sorrow and remorse after their son’s death in August 2025 at Israel’s infamous Megiddo prison. The loss came after they were compelled to hand over one of their children to the Israeli military in exchange for another. Eight months later, the boy they gave up was found dead in custody.

Ahmad, a 20-year-old in good health with no prior medical issues, was detained in January 2025 by Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank. His parents remain uncertain about the reason for his arrest, though they acknowledge the circumstances mirror those of countless Palestinian youths.

They were told by Israeli security personnel that their son would be released if they surrendered his older brother. The Tazaza family in Qabatiya, a northern West Bank town, had already endured repeated raids on their home. On the night of his detention, Ahmad was sleeping at a market where he worked. His brother and father were taken first, then returned the next day with an ultimatum: hand over Ahmad or face further consequences.

“They smashed the house and destroyed everything,” said Najah Abdul Qader, Ahmad’s mother. “He wasn’t at home that night. They took his brother and father, then said, ‘We want him.'”

Qader recounted how Israeli soldiers had earlier threatened to bomb their home if Ahmad did not surrender himself. He had managed to escape once before, leaping from a vehicle as it was crushed by a bulldozer. When the forces finally captured him, the family was forced to comply.

With their other son by their side, the parents delivered Ahmad to the Salem checkpoint near Jenin. “He looked at us and I knew he would not return,” Qader recalled. “He turned his face and walked away, never to come back.”

Initially, the parents believed they had saved his life, thinking he would be detained temporarily and then released. “We handed him over because we feared for his safety,” said his father. “We were forced, and we did what we had to. This is our fate.”

Ahmad’s death occurred on 3 August 2025, as confirmed by a post-mortem report reviewed by Middle East Eye. The report, dated 8 August, was authored by a physician affiliated with Physicians for Human Rights Israel (PHRI), a group that monitors Palestinian prisoner autopsies when allowed by Israeli authorities.

The findings indicated Ahmad had been described as “healthy” at the time of his detention. However, his records noted chronic ailments like diarrhoea and scabies, as well as complaints of a sore throat before his death. On 2 August, he was seen by a clinic doctor who observed blood stains on his trousers.

“During the clinic visit, Mr. Tazaza requested to use the restroom and later collapsed, losing consciousness and vital signs. Resuscitation efforts failed, and he was declared dead,” the report stated.

The autopsy suggested possible signs of severe blood cancer, such as acute leukaemia or aggressive lymphoma, but ruled out sudden death causes. Yet, without access to his body—still held by Israeli authorities—the parents challenge the report’s conclusions.

They had no direct contact with Ahmad during his eight months in prison, relying instead on fragmented news from other detainees. A Red Cross liaison officer informed them of his death, though the organization has limited access to Palestinian prisoners.