Israel frees hospital chief with prisons ‘full’ of Gaza captives | Gaza Information

The detainees endured ‘virtually each day torture’, claims al-Shifa Hospital Director Muhammad Abu Salmiya.

Israeli has freed dozens of Palestinians detained throughout its battle in Gaza, together with the director of one of many enclave’s primary hospitals.

Israel launched 55 prisoners on Monday to liberate area in its jails, unconfirmed reviews claimed. Talking shortly after his return to Gaza, al-Shifa Hospital Director Muhammad Abu Salmiya asserted that Palestinian prisoners in Israel’s prisons have been going through each day abuse.

With hundreds of Palestinians having been added to these already detained because the battle started on October 7, Israel’s prisons are “full,” reported the Israeli Public Broadcasting Company.

Abu Salmiya was arrested amid claims by the Israeli navy that Hamas was utilizing al-Shifa Hospital as a base. The medical chief mentioned no cost had ever been laid in opposition to him.

Freed after greater than seven months of custody, he mentioned detainees endured “each day bodily and psychological humiliation” in captivity.

“Our detainees have been subjected to every kind of torture behind bars,” he mentioned at a information convention in Gaza. “There was virtually each day torture. Cells are damaged into and prisoners are overwhelmed.

“A number of inmates died in interrogation centres and have been disadvantaged of meals and medication,” he added.

Recounting the alleged abuse, Abu Salmiya mentioned guards broke his finger and doled out beatings utilizing batons and canine.

Medical employees have been accountable for abuse and neglect too, he mentioned, with some detainees’ limbs amputated resulting from poor medical care.

The captives have been additionally severely underfed whereas in custody, he added, surviving on nothing greater than a loaf of bread per day for 2 months. All of them misplaced at the least 30kg (66lb), he mentioned.

Israeli officers didn’t instantly touch upon the allegations of mistreatment however have beforehand denied such fees.

The Israel Jail Service has denied that Abu Salmiya was launched resulting from lack of area within the nation’s jails.

Well being marketing campaign

Abu Salmiya was among the many detainees arrested in November throughout an Israeli navy raid of al-Shifa Hospital, Gaza’s largest well being facility.

Israel had claimed the advanced, the place an estimated 2,300 Palestinians have been sheltering, was getting used as a Hamas command centre, fees employees denied.

Throughout the raid, Israeli forces wrecked the advanced’s medical providers and fired at individuals attempting to go away the compound, in keeping with medical doctors. The our bodies of at the least 179 individuals, together with seven infants, have been buried in a mass grave on the hospital grounds.

Al-Shifa is amongst greater than 100 well being services Israel has raided and attacked in the course of the nine-month battle, in keeping with the World Well being Group (WHO).

‘Negligence’

Upon their launch, a lot of the launched detainees have been taken for medical checkups at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis. Others have been delivered to Al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir el-Balah, the place dozens of detainees’ kinfolk confirmed as much as reunite with them and inquire in regards to the destiny of these nonetheless behind bars, exhibits footage verified by Al Jazeera’s Sanad fact-checking company.

A number of Israeli political figures slammed the choice to launch the detainees.

Far-right Safety Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir branded the transfer as “safety negligence”.

Forme battle cupboard minister Benny Gantz mentioned whoever ordered their launch needs to be dismissed and referred to as on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to “shut some authorities places of work to liberate area and funds for prisoners”.

For the reason that Gaza battle broke out, Israel has rounded up a whole lot of Palestinians from the enclave and hundreds extra from the occupied West Financial institution, holding many with out cost.

No less than 40 Palestinians have died in Israeli custody throughout this time, an official with the Palestinian monitor Addameer advised Al Jazeera.

Abu Salmiya, talking after his launch, mentioned some had been killed in interrogation cells.