The Israeli army has detained thousands of Palestinians from different areas across the Gaza Strip since its genocidal assault on the enclave began last October.
The Israeli army has released another nine Palestinian detainees, all displaying signs of malnutrition and physical abuse, according to doctors.
The detainees were released through the Kerem Shalom crossing in the southern city of Rafah and were transferred to the Gaza European Hospital in Khan Younis for medical treatment on Saturday, the Anadolu news agency reported.
Doctors at the hospital confirmed to Anadolu that the freed detainees were in poor health, displaying signs of exhaustion, malnutrition, and physical abuse.
‘Slow Death’ – Palestinian Detainees Subjected to Punishments in ‘Retaliation’ for October 7
The Israeli army has detained thousands of Palestinians from different areas across the Gaza Strip since its genocidal assault on the enclave began last October.
Since then, Israel has released dozens of detainees, who have confirmed in their testimonies that they were subjected to abuse, torture and harsh interrogation.
These testimonies, including cases of sexual abuse and rape, have been documented by Palestinian, Israeli and international human rights organizations.
Enforced Disappearance
Last month, a 23-page report released by the UN Human Rights Office (UNHCR) said thousands of Palestinians have been detained by Israel since October 7 and mostly held in prolonged secret and incommunicado detention, with no information provided to their families on their fate or whereabouts. This has raised serious concerns about enforced disappearance.
‘Worse than Abu Ghraib’ – This is How Israel Tortures Its Palestinian Hostages
The report also covered allegations of torture and other forms of cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment, including sexual abuse of women and men.
It is based primarily on information gathered through interviews with released detainees and other victims and witnesses of violations, as well as human rights and UN organizations.
Detainees include “men, women, children, doctors, journalists, (and) human rights defenders” most of whom have been arrested “without charges or trial and in conditions that raise concerns of the abuse of administrative detention.”
‘Welcome to Hell’
The Israeli B’Tselem human rights group also released a report last month titled ‘Welcome to Hell’ which documented testimonies from 55 Palestinians incarcerated in Israeli detention facilities.
‘Welcome to Hell’ – B’Tselem Documents Network of Torture Camps, Abuse of Palestinians
The report, according to B’Tselem, indicates “a systemic, institutional policy focused on the continual abuse and torture of all Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.”
It documented frequent acts of severe, arbitrary violence; sexual assault; humiliation and degradation, deliberate starvation; forced unhygienic conditions; sleep deprivation, prohibition on, and punitive measures for, religious worship; confiscation of all communal and personal belongings; and denial of adequate medical treatment.
The organization said “no less than 60” Palestinian prisoners have died in Israeli custody.
(PC, Anadolu)
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