GAZA, July 28 (Xinhuanet) -- A Palestinian Islamic Jihad (Holy War)prisoner died of cancer on Thursday, 15 days before his release from the Negev detention camp in southern Israel, the Palestinian Ministry of Prisoners Affairs said in a statement.

    Jawad Abu Maghaseeb, 18, died of kidney cancer after the detention camp administration refused to give him proper medical treatment, the statement said.

    "The Israeli policy of neglecting the urgent medical needs for Palestinian prisoners was the main reason for Abu Maghaseeb's death," Minister of Prisoners Affairs Abu Zayda said.

    Abu Maghaseeb, a resident of the town of Deir el-Ballah, was sentenced to three years in jail.

    About 8,000 Palestinians are being held in Israeli prisons.

    Palestinians have been calling for the release of all Palestinian prisoners, which has long been a sensitive and thorny issue between the two sides. Enditem