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Israeli forces on Monday released the director of Gaza’s biggest hospital, Al Shifa, after more than six months in detention during which he claimed he was brutally “tortured” and “beaten” by the military.
Dr Mohammad Abu Salmiya, who was released along with about 50 other detained Palestinians, was accused by Israel of allowing Al Shifa Hospital in Gaza city to be used by Hamas as an operations centre.
Dr Abu Salmiya said Israeli forces had deprived all prisoners of their basic rights during detention.
“All prisoners have lost up to 30 kilograms due to food deprivation,” he said told press conference at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, south Gaza.
“I was subjected to almost daily torture in Israeli prisons. Our release from prison occurred without a deal, and the Israeli court confirmed that there were no charges against us,” he said.
Dr Abu Salmiya said the detainees did not receive any legal or international representation.
“We were prohibited from meeting any lawyer. The assaults on prisoners involve the use of dogs, batons, and the denial of mattresses and blankets,” he said.
He also accused Israeli nurses and doctors of participating in “beating detainees and violating humanitarian laws”.
Al Shifa Hospital was mostly reduced to rubble in repeated raids by the Israeli military since it launched its assault on Gaza after Hamas attacked southern Israel October 7.
Dr Abu Salmiya said he will go back to work as soon as possible and vowed that Al Shifaa hospital will be rebuild again.
Hospitals across the Palestinian enclave have suffered similar attacks in which their infrastructure was destroyed and staff members detained.
The Gaza European hospital in Khan Younis said the head of its orthopaedic unit, Bassam Miqdad, was also among those freed on Monday.
Dr Miqdad said his “detention period lasted for five and a half months, during which detainees were transferred between several prisons”.
“The treatment was bad, I was deprived of food and was verbally abused. I was moved to three Israeli detention centres, the last being Nafha Prison,” he said.
Dr Miqdad said the interrogation period took place in Ashkelon Prison, where questions on the kidnapped Israeli civilians were asked regularly.
The release of Dr Abu Salmiya and other Palestinian detainees caused outrage among Israel's top officials.
The move was described as a risk to national security, an insult to hostages and their families and a sign that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is abandoning the captives, an accusation that has become a rallying call for the opposition and civil society in recent months.
Former war cabinet member Benny Gantz, said those who released Al Shifa Hospital director must be dismissed.
Mr Gantz, leader of the National Unity party, called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to “close some government offices to free up space and budget for prisoners”.
His comment was a reference to reports that the detainees were being freed because Israel’s prisons were full.
Itamar Ben-Gvir, Israel's far-right National Security Minister, said the release was “security negligence”.
“The time has come for the Prime Minister to stop [Defence Minister Yoav] Gallant and the head of the Shin Bet from conducting an independent policy contrary to the position of the cabinet and the government,” Mr Ben-Gvir said on X.
He repeated the accusation that Hamas used Al Shifa Hospital as a cover for its military operations and infrastructure.
Hamas denies the allegations.
Israel’s Kan news channel published leaked WhatsApp messages in which far-right Minister Mr Ben-Gvir called for the dismissal of the chief of the Shin Bet, Ronen Bar.
Interior Minister Moshe Arbel hit back, asking whether Mr Ben-Gvir would take any “responsibility in this matter”.
In an unusually direct statement, the Shin Bet accused Mr Ben-Gvir of significant responsibility in the scandal, saying he failed to respond to repeated calls by the agency to address a major shortage of prison cells that has been exacerbated by mass detentions in the Gaza War.
“The ISA was opposed to the release of Palestinian detainees from [the Occupied West Bank], who pose immediate danger, and of Hamas Nukhba terrorists who were involved in the fighting and harm to Israeli civilians,” the statement said.
Government ministers tried to distance themselves from the move, including Mr Netanyahu whose office said “the decision to release the prisoners followed discussions at the High Court”.
The office of Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said, “The procedure for incarcerating security prisoners and their release is under [internal security agency] the Shin Bet and the Israel Prison Service, and is not subject to the approval of the defence minister.”
Opposition leader Yair Lapid said the decision was a “direct continuation of the recklessness and dysfunction of [Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s] government”.
