Israel released 150 Palestinians detained during military operations in Gaza on Monday to return to the enclave, and many say they suffered abuse during their detention, Palestinian border officials said.
According to border authorities, the detainees, including two members of the Palestinian Red Crescent (SCVP) who were held for 50 days, were released on Monday through the Israeli-controlled Kerem Shalom crossing in southern Gaza.
Many have been admitted to hospitals, complaining of abuse and mistreatment in Israeli prisons, they said. The Israeli army denies the accusations.
Many of the freed prisoners said they were asked whether they had links to the militant group Hamas, which controls Gaza.
“I entered prison with two legs and came back with one leg,” Sufian Abu Salah said by phone from the hospital, adding that he had no medical history of chronic diseases.
“I had inflammation in my leg and they (the Israelis) refused to take me to the hospital. A week later the inflammation spread and turned into gangrene. They took me to the hospital, where I was operated on.” , Abu Salah said, adding that he was attacked by his Israeli captors.
A resident of Abassan, a town east of Khan Younis, Abu Salah, 42, told Reuters he was arrested by Israeli forces in late February at a school where he and his family had taken refuge.
According to the Palestinian Prisoners’ Association, there are at least 9,100 Palestinians from Gaza and the West Bank detained in Israel. This number does not include people trapped in Gaza since the war began on October 7 because Israel has not released data related to the offensive.
The Israeli army said in a statement to Reuters that it was acting in accordance with Israeli and international laws and that prisoners had access to food, water, medicine and adequate clothing.
“The IDF (Israel Defense Forces) is working to restore the security of Israeli citizens, bring hostages home and achieve war objectives, operating in compliance with international law,” the army told Reuters, adding specific complaints of inappropriate behavior are forwarded to the competent authorities for review.
NO INFORMATION ON THE DETAINEES
Palestinian and international human rights groups said they were aware of allegations of mistreatment in Israeli prisons. They say Israel refuses to release information on Gaza detainees, including how many people are detained and where.
In December, the United Nations Office for Human Rights (OHCHR) said it had received several reports of mass detentions, ill-treatment and enforced disappearances of Palestinians in northern Gaza by the Israeli army.
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) told Reuters on Monday that it had not been able to visit Palestinian detainees in Israeli prisons since October, when Israel suspended visits, but that it was aware of reports of a high rate of arrests by of the armed forces. Israelis, as well as references to the mistreatment of detainees.
Source: Terra
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