A Palestinian construction worker who had entered Israel illegally died Sunday while being arrested by police near the northern Arab Israeli city of Sakhnin.

The body of the Palestinian, Mohammed Majed Camille, 22, from the West Bank city of Qabatiya, was transferred to the Institute of Forensic Medicine at Abu Kabir for an autopsy.

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The police said Camille lost consciousness while being led to a police vehicle handcuffed to another Palestinian and that attempts to resuscitate him failed. He was pronounced dead by emergency services paramedics who were called to the scene shortly after.

Both Palestinians were sleeping at a tent from which they attempted to flee without a physical struggle before being arrested, police said, denying claims made by the Palestinian Authority that Camille fell to his death.

The site where Camille was detained is known to the police as an area where illegal residents usually stay.