Israel Frees 50 Palestinians From Prison, Including Director Of Al Shifa Gaza Hospital Arrested For Seven Months

The arrest of Gazans by the Israeli military. (Source: Israel Defense Forces)

JAKARTA - The Israeli occupation authority released 50 detainees from the Gaza Strip who were detained during the aggression that began in October last year, including the director of Al Shifa Gaza Hospital who was detained for seven months.

One of the prisoners released, Faraj Al-Samuni said, prisoners in prisons, especially those from Gaza, suffered tragic and unbearable conditions and circumstances.

Quoted from WAFA July 1, he said Israeli forces detained him on November 16 from his home on November 16 in the al-Qarara area, east of Khan Yunis, south of the Gaza Strip. He was transferred to the detention center of Sde Teman and placed in a tent containing 30 detainees.

He said prisoners were targeted by various types of torture, torture, and assault.

One of the detainees released was Al Shifa Medical Complex Director in Gaza City Dr. Mohammed Abu Salmiya, who had been detained for seven months, following an Israeli military operation at the hospital last November, quoted by Anadolu.

Abu Salmiya was arrested on November 23 along with several medical staff while traveling via Jalan Salah al-Din from Gaza City to the southern region of the Gaza Strip after the Israeli military attacked Al-Shifa Hospital.

Speaking to Anadolu, he described the condition of detainees as "tractable, unprecedented in Palestinian history, with severe food shortages and physical insults."

He stressed the need for urgent decisive action to release all prisoners from Israeli prisons, noting that the difficulties faced by prisoners have not been compared since Nakba.

"Israeli occupation arrests everyone, and medical staff has died in Israeli prisons due to torture and lack of medical treatment," he said.

"The enemy has shown his cruelty in dealing with prisoners and medical personnel. Hundreds of medical staff have been targeted and tortured in prisons," he added.

The people who were released were transported to the Syuhada Al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir Al-Balah and Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis.

Israel still refuses to disclose the number of prisoners in Gaza. While in the West Bank, Isrel has detained more than 9,450 civilians, including in Jerusalem.

Separately, Gaza's health authorities confirmed on Monday that the number of Palestinians as a result of the Israeli attacks since October 7 had increased to 37,900 people, while 87,060 people were injured. The majority of victims were women and children.