Detainees return to Gaza with allegations of systematic abuse as Israel cites security clearance
Rights groups describe a pattern of torture and neglect in Israeli detention facilities, while the ICRC reports continued access restrictions.
Sixty Palestinians detained by Israel were returned to Gaza on Monday, arriving at the Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis in a frail and injured state. Transported by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), several of the men were unable to walk upon arrival and were greeted by medical teams and relatives. This transfer represents the largest prisoner release since the first phase of the ceasefire agreement took effect in October.
The men, identified by Al Jazeera as former labourers in Israeli-occupied Palestinian territory prior to October 2023, provided detailed accounts of their detention to Anadolu. Released detainees, including Abdullah Kilani and Abu Ibrahim, cited beatings with rifle butts, being shot, and being held on bare concrete. Kilani, who was seized in December 2024, stated he was held for more than 18 months, while Mohammed Jabr al-Majdalawi, 43, reported a detention period of one year and nine months across Ofer, Negev, and Sde Teiman prisons.
Israeli authorities stated the men were released after interrogations concluded they were “no longer security suspects”. However, HaMoked, an Israeli rights group, identified the detainees as part of nearly 1,300 people from Gaza held by Israel as “unlawful combatants”. Rights organisations allege a systematic policy of torture, documenting patterns of beatings, medical neglect, food deprivation, and prolonged restraint within the detention apparatus.
The ICRC reported that it has been unable to access Palestinians in Israeli detention since October 2023, reiterating demands to locate detainees and inspect their conditions. This follows a report last month by a United Nations commission of inquiry, which found that Palestinian children arrested by Israel face torture, sexual abuse, and other forms of mistreatment. Approximately 9,600 Palestinians are currently held by Israel, including some children.
Conditions in Gaza have deteriorated under the Israeli blockade, raising concerns about the released men’s ability to secure food and shelter for their recovery. Al Jazeera reporter Moath al-Kahlout noted that the harsh environment in Gaza could significantly impact the physical rehabilitation of the detainees, who arrived with severe injuries and trauma.
