Ten Palestinians detained by Israeli troops in Gaza were released and returned to the territory on Thursday, recounting the abuse they endured during their imprisonment.
Israel has detained thousands of Palestinians since launching its military campaign in Gaza in response to Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, incursion on southern Israel.
While periodic detainee releases have occurred throughout the war, this marked the first such release since hostilities resumed in mid-March, following the breakdown of a cease-fire with Hamas.
The 10 men, clad in gray sweatpants and shirts, were transported by bus to a hospital in Deir al-Balah, a central town in Gaza, where they were greeted by their families.
They had all been detained from the northern Gaza Strip during Israel’s last offensive there before the January cease-fire.
They said they had been held at least part of the time in Sde Teiman, a military prison camp that has become notorious for abuses of Gaza detainees.
One of the freed men, Fayez Ayoub, looked gaunt and walked with difficulty, supported by another man.
“I swear, Dad, every moment we waited for you to be released,” his daughter, Marah Ayoub, told him, crying. “Every time a prisoner was released, we went to him to ask about her father.”
“Torment, torment,” he told her.
Detained by Israeli troops on Nov. 6, Ayoub said: “156 days have passed with us in agony. We are tortured and in pain.”
He said detainees were abused every day and had little sleep.
His daughter said he was seized by Israeli troops just after being released from Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza after suffering fractures in his pelvis and spine from an airstrike.
“Was this how my father was? And is this what he has become?” she said, referring to his appearance. “He wasn’t like this.”
Another man, Hani Abu Sharif, said they were frequently beaten, stripped to their underwear, and forced to stand barefoot on stones, causing their feet to bleed. They were only allowed to shower every month or two, he said.
There was no immediate comment from the military.
The army and prison authorities have said they abide by the letter of the law in the treatment of prisoners and investigate violations.
But there have been widespread reports of abuse of Palestinian detainees in military prison camps and civilian prisons, including frequent beatings, and a lack of medical care and food.
Five soldiers have been indicted for allegedly raping a detainee with a knife at Sde Teiman.
In March, a 17-year-old Palestinian died at Megiddo Prison, a civilian-run facility, and doctors said starvation was likely the main cause of death.
The Palestinian Authority says at least 61 Palestinians have died in Israeli prisons since the war began.
Thousands of Palestinians continue to be held in Israeli detention without charge or trial.
Israel says it detains those it suspects of links to Hamas and releases them when it determines they are not connected to the group.
During the two-month cease-fire, Israel released hundreds of imprisoned Palestinians in return for the release of hostages held by the group in Gaza.
