Israel releases 50 Palestinians detained in Gaza

Israel today released the director of the Al-Shifa Medical Complex in Gaza City after keeping him in detention for more than seven months.

Dr Mohammed Abu Salmiya was among 50 Palestinians who were released across the eastern border of central and southern Gaza, according to Anadolu.

The released individuals were transported to Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir Al-Balah and Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis.

Abu Salmiya was arrested on 23 November along with several medical staff while travelling through Salah Al-Din Street from Gaza City to southern areas of the Strip after the Israeli military attacked Al-Shifa Hospital.

He described the prisoners’ conditions as “tragic, unprecedented in Palestinian history, with severe food shortages and physical humiliation.”

He emphasised the urgent need for decisive action to release all prisoners from Israeli jails, noting that the hardships faced by the detainees are unparalleled since the Nakba.

Read: Ben-Gvir calls for executing Palestinian prisoners

“The Israeli occupation arrests everyone, and medical staff have died in Israeli prisons due to torture and a lack of medical care,” he stressed.

“The enemy has demonstrated its cruelty in dealing with prisoners and medical personnel. Hundreds of medical staff have been targeted and are being tortured in occupation prisons,” he added.

Abu Salmiya’s release has angered ministers in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government.

In a post on X, Minister of Diaspora Affairs Amichai Chikli described Abu Salmiya’s release without compensation as “intolerable.”

“This decision did not pass either the government or the Cabinet, and whoever is behind it should be held accountable for a negligent and harmful decision to Israel’s security,” he added.

Settlement Minister Orit Strock wrote: “It is inconceivable that such a thing would happen without a government meeting!”

While far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir described the release of Abu Salmiya and dozens of other Palestinian detainees as “security negligence.”

Meanwhile, Israel’s broadcaster KAN quoted the office of Defence Minister Yoav Gallant saying: “The defence minister was unaware of the decision to release the director of Al-Shifa Hospital.”