ALWAGHT- Palestinians freed under the Gaza ceasefire deal have shared disturbing testimonies of systematic abuse, describing Israeli prisons as “slaughterhouses” marked by torture, starvation, and psychological torment.
As part of the initial phase of the ceasefire agreement aimed at ending the two-year Israeli-American war on Gaza, Israel released 250 Palestinian prisoners serving life sentences and 1,718 detainees held since October 7, 2023. Many of the freed Palestinians described their imprisonment as a living nightmare, calling the facilities “slaughterhouses.” Former detainees recounted being subjected to beatings, humiliation, starvation, and extreme deprivation while confined in Israeli prisons such as Ofer.
Several released prisoners gave chilling testimonies of the abuse they endured. Abdallah Abu Rafe said that prisoners were denied basic necessities like mattresses and adequate food. Journalist Shadi Abu Seed described being kept naked, beaten, and starved for months, calling his imprisonment a relentless ordeal. Others, including Mohammed al-Khalili, echoed accounts of daily humiliation and violence, saying that survival itself became a form of resistance.
Medical professionals in Gaza have confirmed the severe toll these conditions took on prisoners. Dr. Muhammad Abu Salmiya, head of Shifa Medical Complex, reported that many returnees suffer from mutilations, disabilities, and psychological trauma due to systematic torture and deliberate medical neglect in Israeli prisons. He added that the crisis is worsened by Israel’s detention of numerous Palestinian doctors, exacerbating Gaza’s already devastated healthcare system.
Despite the recent exchange, Palestinian officials state that over 10,000 Palestinians remain unlawfully detained in Israeli prisons, including around 360 children. At least 77 have died in custody over the past two years. Under the US-mediated ceasefire terms, Hamas is expected to release 20 Israeli captives alive and the bodies of 28 others, while Israel is to free roughly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners.
