8:43 am - February 24, 2025
In recent days, a significant development in the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict has brought both hope and anguish to many families. As part of a ceasefire agreement, Israel released 369 Palestinian detainees on February 15, 2025, in exchange for three Israeli captives held in Gaza. While the release has been welcomed by many, the condition of the freed Palestinians has shocked communities and raised troubling questions about their treatment during captivity. According to the Palestinian Red Crescent, at least four of the released Palestinians were hospitalised in Ramallah, in the occupied West Bank, due to their critical health condition.
The plight of these former detainees has highlighted the harsh realities of life in Israeli jails. Many of those released appeared frail, having lost significant weight during their time in custody. Some struggled to walk, a testament to the physical and psychological toll of their imprisonment. The Palestinian Prisoners’ Media Office described the condition of the released prisoners as evidence of the “extent of the crimes and violations inside the prisons.” Personal accounts from former detainees have further revealed the horrors they endured, includingbeatings, malnutrition, and isolation from the outside world. For many, their release marked the end of a long and brutal ordeal, but the scars of their experiences may linger for years to come.
Among those freed is Amir Abu Radah, a Palestinian who spent 18 months in Israel’s Nafha desert prison. In an interview with Al Jazeera, Abu Radah recounted the unbearable conditions he and other prisoners endured. “Our condition in prison was extremely difficult, and no one could bear it,” he said. For over a year, they had no access to communication, leaving them completely cut off from their families and the outside world. The lack of basic necessities, such as water and electricity, further exacerbated their suffering. Abu Radah’s account paints a grim picture of life behind bars, where even the most fundamental human rights were denied.
Another freed detainee, Hazem Rajab, shared his own harrowing story of imprisonment. Rajab was arrested by Israeli forces in December 2023, two months after the start of the war on Gaza. From the very first day, he was subjected to brutal beatings and inhumane treatment. “The Israelis told us, ‘Welcome to hell,’” Rajab recalled. “From the first day, we were beaten up badly. The beatings were brutal, tough, and unbearable.” Rajab’s experience is not an isolated incident; many released Palestinians have reported similar mistreatment, even in the final hours before their release. Al Jazeera’s Nour Odeh noted that the freed detainees spoke of enduring malnutrition, hunger, and neglect, with some allowed to shower only every 10 days. Their physical and mental health has clearly deteriorated after months of such mistreatment.
The story of Mohammed el-Halabi, the former head of World Vision in Gaza, adds another layer to the narrative of suffering. El-Halabi was imprisoned for nearly nine years before his release on Saturday. Despite his high-profile case, he was convicted without evidence, accused of supporting Hamas. El-Halabi described how his imprisonment was used to undermine international aid to Gaza. During his time in jail, he was subjected to physical and psychological torture, which intensified after the war on Gaza began. “Starvation happened every day,” he said, recalling how he was given only one low-quality meal daily. His weight dropped dramatically, from 95kg (209 pounds) to just 45kg (100 pounds), a stark testament to the deprivation he endured.
The release of these Palestinians is part of a broader prisoner exchange facilitated by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). Since the ceasefire began last month, 24 captives from Gaza and 985 Palestinian detainees have been freed. While their release brings relief to their families, the stories of their mistreatment in Israeli custody have sparked outrage and calls for accountability. The accounts of Abu Radah, Rajab, el-Halabi, and others underscore the human cost of the conflict and the urgent need for justice and humane treatment for all detainees. As the ceasefire holds, the international community must continue to advocate for the protection of human rights and an end to the suffering of those caught in the crossfire of this protracted conflict.