Israel has also threatened the released prisoners and their families, warning them against holding public gatherings to celebrate their return [Getty]
Dozens of Palestinians released from Israeli prisons under the recent ceasefire deal have shown signs of severe abuse, including torture, starvation, and medical neglect, according to the Palestinian Prisoner’s Society.
As part of the agreement between Hamas and Israel, 183 Palestinians were freed from Israeli jails on Saturday.
Dressed in stained grey prison uniforms, many appeared frail and exhausted as they arrived at the European Hospital in Khan Younis, Gaza. Their release was met with cheers as they reunited with their families.
In a statement, the Palestinian Prisoner’s Society described the mistreatment suffered by detainees, saying that their bodies reflect “the level of crimes committed against them”, particularly after 7 October 2023.
The organisation detailed cases of “unprecedented torture, starvation, systematic medical crimes” and severe beatings that, in some cases, resulted in broken ribs. Several former detainees were also reportedly infected with scabies.
Israel has also threatened the released prisoners and their families, warning them against holding public gatherings to celebrate their return.
“The occupation practices organised terrorism against the released prisoners and their families,” the statement added.
One of the freed detainees described enduring “the most brutal torture” over 15 months, adding: “The Israelis treated us in inhumane ways. They treated animals better than us.”
Hamas condemned the abuse, saying the treatment of Palestinian prisoners “confirms the ugliness of what [they] are subjected to” in Israeli jails.
In contrast, the group claimed that its armed wing, the Qassam Brigades, ensured the well-being of Israeli captives despite dire conditions in Gaza, where Israeli attacks have killed more than 47,000 people since October 2023.
“The good physical and psychological condition of the enemy’s prisoners proves the values ​​of our resistance and its moral commitment towards the prisoners,” Hamas said.
Under the terms of the ceasefire, Hamas is expected to release 33 captives held in Gaza over the first six weeks in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, many of whom have been serving life sentences in Israel.
