Occupation releases 13 prisoners from Gaza: Released individuals arrive in Deir al-Balah amidst difficult health conditions

The Israeli occupation authorities released a new batch of Palestinian prisoners from the Gaza Strip on Thursday evening, including 13 citizens who had been detained for varying periods. The released individuals arrived via the Kerem Shalom crossing to the city of Deir al-Balah in the central part of the Strip, where an atmosphere of anticipation prevailed among the residents who waited to check on their relatives after a long period of communication قطع.

Local sources reported that all released prisoners arrived at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, where they immediately underwent thorough medical examinations and comprehensive tests upon their arrival. These medical procedures come amidst human rights reports confirming that detainees have been subjected to inhumane detention conditions, including systematic torture and starvation, raising serious concerns about their physical and psychological well-being.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) coordinated the transfer process and facilitated the reunion of prisoners with their families, despite the strict restrictions imposed by the occupation. It is worth noting that the Red Cross has helped transfer more than 2,500 released prisoners since 2023, while the occupation continues to prevent ICRC teams from visiting detention centers or checking on the conditions of prisoners since October 2023.

The list of released individuals included names from various age groups, including elderly people over sixty-five such as Jibril Hamed Abu Jubba and Abdul Hay Mohammed Abu Hujeir. The list also included young men in the prime of their lives, among them Mohammed Rifaat Abu Anza and Nader Hani Nasr, who suffered the bitterness of detention in prisons and interrogation centers lacking the most basic human necessities.

This step comes amidst escalating Israeli violations against Palestinians, with official statistics indicating the arrest of approximately 23,000 citizens in the West Bank alone since October 2023. In the Gaza Strip, humanitarian suffering continues with a rising toll of martyrs and injured, amidst international demands to open prisons to human rights organizations to stop the crimes committed against prisoners.

The prisoners were transferred immediately upon their arrival to the care sections for necessary medical examinations and check-ups to ensure their health following the harsh detention conditions.