An autopsy has revealed that a Palestinian minor has been starved to death in an Israeli detention facility.

The 17-year-old abductee, identified as Walid Khaled Abdullah Ahmad, was a resident of Silwad town and died at Megiddo Prison in late March, Defense for Children International – Palestine (DCIP) reported on Thursday.

According to the DCIP, Ahmad died of what were likely signs of “starvation, dehydration from colitis-induced diarrhea, and infectious complications all compounded by prolonged malnutrition and denial of life-saving medical intervention.”

The autopsy reveals considerable air accumulation in both the chest and abdominal cavities of Ahmad, which, according to DCIP, was “likely caused by blunt trauma.”

Additionally, there are indications of inflammation that may be associated with an infection.

The presence of edema and congestion in his large intestine, indicative of a traumatic injury, may be attributed to beatings inflicted by Israeli guards, it added.

The examination, carried out at the Abu Kabir Forensic Institute in Tel Aviv, revealed that Ahmad experienced “extreme, likely prolonged malnutrition” and may have had an inflamed colon, which led to recurrent diarrhea and dehydration. Additionally, a laceration was discovered on his neck.

According to Ahmad’s father, Israeli authorities subjected the Palestinian teenager to “beatings, starvation, and medical neglect during his time in custody.”

“An autopsy report showed that he had lost a significant amount of weight, developed scabies and infections, and had fallen unconscious before his death,” he stated, adding, “Israel is deliberately killing child detainees.”

“Walid had no prior health issues. He was starved, left untreated, and ultimately killed.”

He added that Walid’s death could have been prevented had he received proper medical attention and food.

The 17-year-old was also a Brazilian citizen, which prompted officials and civil organizations in Brazil to follow his case closely. 

The Palestinian Arab Federation of Brazil (Fepal) said in a statement that Walid’s death in the Israeli prison of Meggido makes it “completely untenable” to keep diplomatic ties between Brazil and Israel.

“Perhaps it’s time for [Brazilian] Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira to review the very mild statement he gave on October 23, 2024, when he said that breaking ties with the genociders of Tel Aviv ‘was not under consideration,’” read the Fepal statement.

Fepal emphasized that the time for diplomacy has been “buried” by Israel and demanded that Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva take a new stance towards the administration of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The statement also highlighted that breaking diplomatic ties and cooperation agreements with Israel “is a moral and legal obligation Brazil has with humanity, with the Palestinian people facing a final solution and with the Brazilian-Palestinian community, under penalty of going down in history as an actor accused of complicity in the Palestinian Holocaust.”