Thousands attend funeral for Arafat Jaradat

Thousands of mourners on Monday attended the funeral of Arafat Jaradat who died two days earlier in Israeli custody.
Jaradat, 30, died in Israel’s Megiddo prison a week after he was detained. An autopsy showed he died from severe torture, Palestinian officials said Sunday.

Gunmen from the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades fired in the air in Sair village, Jaradat’s hometown, as thousands marched with his body. Jaradat’s mother and pregnant wife collapsed at the funeral.

“We sacrifice our souls and blood for you, our martyr” mourners chanted.

Large numbers of Israeli forces deployed around Sair and imposed extensive restrictions on the entrances to Hebron and nearby villages.

Israeli forces fired tear gas at protesters in al-Arrub refugee camp and in Beit Einun. An Israeli military spokeswoman said forces fired riot dispersal means at Palestinians who threw stones at soldiers.