Israeli authorities transferred cancer-stricken Palestinian prisoner Walid Daqqa out of intensive care, at the Israeli Asaf Harofeh hospital, and back to the Ramleh prison clinic on Thursday, the Palestinian Prisoners’ Club confirmed.

Daqqa, 61, is a renowned writer and father of a three-year-old daughter. He was diagnosed with bone-marrow cancer last December.

He underwent surgery that removed a large part of his right lung before a serious decline in his health condition last March.

Originally from the town of Baqa Gharbiyeh, within Israel’s 1948 boundaries, Daqqa was arrested in 1986. He was convicted for his alleged membership in a Palestinian armed cell that killed an Israeli soldier.

Cancer-Stricken Palestinian Prisoner Walid Daqqa Moved to Hospital

In prison, Daqqa became a renowned writer, mostly known for his play “The parallel time” and novel “The Tale Of The Olive Oil’s Secret”, which Israeli authorities banned from launching at several events.

In 2018, an Israeli court added two years to Daqqa’s sentence, after accusing him of taking part in the smuggling of cellphones to Palestinian prisoners, prolonging his prison time until 2025.

While in prison, Daqqa married Palestinian activist Sanaa Salameh in 1999. In 2020, Salameh gave birth to their only daughter, Milad, who was conceived through smuggled sperm.

Currently, some 4,900 Palestinians are held in Israeli jails, including more than 1000 detainees without charges, according to human rights groups.

Some 700 Palestinian prisoners have health issues, including 24 with different types of cancer.