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BETHLEHEM (Ma'an) -- A Jewish settler assaulted a Palestinian woman being held under armed Israeli guard three weeks ago at a Jerusalem hospital, Ma'an has learned.
Yousif Matya, a lawyer from the Palestinian Prisoner's Society, said in a statement that Amal Taqatqa, a Palestinian woman from Beit Fajjar south of Bethlehem who is being treated for gunshot wounds, was attacked by a Jewish Israeli while sleeping in her bed at Hadassah Ein Karem hospital in West Jerusalem.
"While sleeping in her hospital bed, she was awakened by a Jewish settler grabbing her hair. He then slapped her in the face," the lawyer said.
He added that Taqatqa had notified the Israeli officers who watch her at the hospital, and they told her they would report the incident to officials.
Taqatqa has been held under armed guard at the hospital since early December, when she was shot by soldiers after a Jewish settler claimed she stabbed him near the Gush Etzion Jewish settlement bloc, which is located partially on lands stolen from her village.
Her lawyer said in the statement regarding the incident that he was only able to visit Taqatqa after making several requests to authorities.
He said she was improving after several surgeries, pointing out that she was shot five times in the leg, abdomen, chest, and arm.
He added that Taqatqa told him that police detectives and intelligence officers had interrogated her while she was staying at the hospital, at one point telling her: "It will make no difference whether you admit to the charges or not because the charges have been documented by cameras and eyewitnesses."
The woman's father has appealed to Palestinian officials to ask Israeli authorities to allow family members to visit her. So far none have been given permission to see her, the father said.
Her father also called upon Israeli police to "show the footage from surveillance cameras on the road which will prove that my daughter is innocent and the stabbing claims were fabricated."
Settler assaulted hospitalized Palestinian woman in Israeli custody | Maan News Agency