Palestinians mourn during the funeral Arafat Jaradat on February 25, 2013 in the village of Saair in the West Bank.
(CNN) -- A U.N. official is calling for a probe into the death of a Palestinian prisoner "while undergoing interrogation in an Israeli facility."
"The death of a prisoner during interrogation is always a cause for concern, but in this case, when Israel has shown a pattern and practice of prisoner abuse, the need for outside, credible investigation is more urgent than ever," said Richard Falk, the U.N. special rapporteur for human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories.
READ: Palestinians blame Israel for prisoner's death
Fury in West Bank over prisoner death
Quoted in a U.N. release on Wednesday, Falk said the "best approach might be the creation of an international forensic team under the auspices of the U.N. Human Rights Council."
Falk said the Palestinian Authority's chief pathologist observed the autopsy carried out inside Israel, and found "clear signs of torture" on the body of "previously healthy" Arafat Jaradat, 30, who died Saturday. Israeli officials had initially claimed Jaradat died of a heart attack, but the preliminary autopsy findings did not include a cause of death, the United Nations said.
A rocket fired from Gaza landed in southern Israel on Tuesday, the first such attack since a cease-fire took hold in November between Israel and militants in Gaza. Militants recently warned there would be retaliation if a prisoner died or was harmed while in Israeli custody.
READ: Palestinians protest inmate's death, warn Obama
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The funeral Arafat Jaradat in the village of Saair in the West Bank.
Israeli security forces take cover behind barrels during clashes with Palestinian protestors near the Israeli checkpoint in the West Bank town of Hebron on February 25, 2013.
Palestinians take part in the funeral of Arafat Jaradat on February 25, 2013 in the village of Saair in the West Bank.
A Palestinian protestor uses a slingshot to throw stones towards Israeli security forces during clashes in the West Bank village of Saair on February 25, 2013 after the funeral of a Palestinian inmate who died in an Israeli prison.
Palestinians erect posters of hunger-striking Palestinian prisoners at Erez border crossing between Israel and the northern Gaza Strip on February 26, 2013.
Palestinian protestors clash with Israeli security forces in the West Bank village of Burin on February 25, 2013.
The sister of of Arafat Jaradat mourns, while holding his son Muhannad, during his funeral on February 25, 2013 in the village of Saair in the West Bank.
Palestinians mourn during the funeral Arafat Jaradat on February 25, 2013 in the village of Saair in the West Bank.
A Palestinian girl carries a poster of Arafat Jaradat at Erez border crossing between Israel and the northern Gaza Strip.
A Palestinian protestor holds his national flag as others flash the sign for victory during clashes with Israeli security forces at the entrance of the Jalama checkpoint, near the West Bank city of Jenin, on February 26, 2013.
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