Along with Al-Shifa Hospital’s director, 54 other Palestinians were released on Monday by the Israeli forces in order to clear up the overcrowded prisons. Those released shared heart-wrenching accounts of their experiences, recounting the unbearable torture, humiliation, and struggles they faced during their time behind bars.
Al-Shifa Hospital Director Muhammad Abu Salmiya said he was tortured while held in prison. “Even those who have been detained for more than 10 years have been deprived of their rights and many were killed under interrogation,” said Salmiya.
Salmiya was held in Israeli captivity without proper charges for seven months. Israeli forces alleged that the hospital director had facilitated Hamas to operate a command centre from the hospital. However, Salmiya and other health officials had denied the allegations.
Recalling the horrors in Israeli prisons, Faraj al-Samouni, said he wished none of the detainees had to go through interrogation.
“It is nothing but utter torture; total torment. May God help those detainees being interrogated by Israel’s internal security service. Tortured, battered and our genitals beaten. Verbally and physically abused; only God knows. For God’s sake, set them free and release them from that hell,” Faraj al-Samouni was quoted by Al-Jazeera.
He further described the prison conditions as “unimaginable”. Around 30 detainees were kept in one cell. Cramped, with a bare minimum of food given, diseases broke out in the prison.
“We were given only one cup of rice per day, a piece of tomato and a piece of cucumber, with a small loaf of bread,” he said.
Another detainee released by Israel said that they used all torture methods during interrogation. “At one point I thought it was better to just die rather than suffer unbearable pain away from family and loved ones. We don’t even know if anyone we know is still alive with the ongoing attacks,” he said.
Many Palestinians released had similar accounts.
“Many of the medical staff arrested have been denied food, water and medicine. The Israelis have no red lines. They deal with detainees like they’re objects, not human beings. Even the Israeli medics are involved in the beatings,” said Salmiya.
Guards used batons to beat detainees and terrorised them with dogs. Due to poor medical attention, some detainees had their arms and limbs amputated. Salmiya said he suffered a head injury due to a guard’s beating.
Meanwhile, there was an uproar over the release of Selmiya in the Netanyahu government. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said Selmiya belongs in prison and a thorough review had to be done before releasing the detainees.
Itamar Ben Gvir, Israel's far-right national security minister controls the country's police and prison service. Gvir blamed the Defence Ministry for Selmiya’s release. However, Defence Minister Yoav Gallant's office said prisoner releases are the responsibility of the prison service and the Shin Bet internal security agency.
Palestinians evacuate Khan Younis
After Israel's evacuation orders, Palestinians are fleeing from districts in Khan Younis to the east of Gaza's second-biggest city. Israel's order signals the launch of a new ground assault in the Gaza Strip.
Though Khan Younis was attacked earlier, a large number of Palestinians have since moved back when the Rafah offensive began. Many of the Khan Younis residents sought shelter in Rafah when the city was targeted by the Israeli troops.
Claiming to have destroyed Hamas battalions in the city, Israeli forces had withdrawn from the city earlier this year.
Amid the uproar over Abu Selmia's release, the various Israeli state organs responsible for detentions scrambled to shift blame.
