Qaraqi’ told a press conference that “a judicial autopsy on Abu Hammad’s body found he was fatally hit in the spinal column, affecting the spinal cord, which caused the sudden death.”

The minister said that the Palestinian Abu Dis Institute of Forensic Medicine and a team of Israeli pathologist carried the autopsy with the consent of the “martyr’s family.”

The 31-year-old Hammad, from the town of Al-Aizariyeh to the east of Jerusalem, died on Friday in a solitary confinement. Hammad was found dead on the floor of his cell in Ishel prison in southern Israeli city of Be’er Sheva. He was serving a ten-year term for stabbing an Israeli police officer in East Jerusalem’s Old City.

Qaraqi’ stressed that the autopsy “did not find any sign of illness or any injuries. There were only signs on his chest due to efforts to revive his heart after death”

The minister held Israel responsible for his death. He added that his ministry will send the report to international bodies and human rights organizations “to help the Palestinian Authority in prosecuting Israel for its crimes.” Qaraqi’ said that there are 19 Palestinian prisoners in solitary confinement “suffering from slow death.”

Iyad Abu Hammad said that his brother Raed “was not suffering from any health problem.” He added that the Israeli prisons authority only allowed his parents to visit Raed. According to Iyad, Raed used to meet his parents with his hands and legs cuffed.

Israel Prisons Service spokesman Yaron Zamir said Israeli pathologists were still awaiting the results of laboratory tests before determining the cause of death.

— With input from agencies