By Ahmad Awad
Khan Yunis, Gaza (EFE).- Hundreds of Palestinians detained by Israeli forces during the two-year-long offensive returned home Monday after a landmark hostage exchange agreement, marking one of the most emotional scenes since the end of the war.
Crowds gathered outside Nasser Hospital in southern Gaza as the first Red Cross buses slowly arrived, carrying over 1,000 detainees.
Families rushed forward, crying and embracing their loved ones, many of whom appeared frail and visibly malnourished.
“I was arrested at Kamal Adwan Hospital in Beit Lahia. I was the only journalist there,” journalist Islam Ahmed told EFE, his voice breaking between smiles and exhaustion. “The detention conditions were miserable. The beatings and humiliation were unbearable.”
Before his detention last December, Ahmed weighed 106 kilograms (approximately 234 pounds); upon his release, he weighed 76 kilograms (approximately 167 pounds).
Witnesses described some prisoners collapsing as they exited the buses, with Red Cross workers rushing them to the hospital.
Most wore grey tracksuits bearing the logo of Israel’s Prison Service, their pale faces and thin bodies revealing the toll of captivity.
Among those not released was Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya, director of Kamal Adwan Hospital, who became one of Gaza’s most prominent detainees.
“When our release was announced, a high-ranking Israeli intelligence officer told Hussam, ‘Sorry, but you’re staying,’” Ahmed recounted.
Administrative detentions without charge
By late Monday, 11 buses had arrived at Nasser Hospital, and more were expected.
According to prisoner associations, over 1,700 detainees are set to return home, including eight serving life or long-term sentences.
However, the vast majority, 1,718 individuals, were held under Israel’s administrative detention system, meaning they were imprisoned without charges, trial, or a defined release date.
The Gaza prisoners’ association Asra, linked to Hamas, said the group included five minors and two women, 71-year-old Silham Abu Salem and Mervat Sarhan, whose ages were not disclosed.
Torture and psychological abuse reported
The Commission for Detainee Affairs and the Prisoners’ Club said many returnees bore visible signs of torture and psychological trauma.
“Abuse continued until the very moments of their release,” the groups stated.
One freed prisoner, Juma Said Hamdine, 38, described his ordeal while embracing his son.
“I spent nearly four months with my hands tied and eyes covered. Even during the weekly shower, we weren’t allowed to uncover our eyes. We were forced to kneel 24 hours a day,” he said.
Hamdine added that guards would allow detainees to sleep only for a few hours before waking them to kneel again. “Anyone caught sleeping was beaten,” he recalled.
As he spoke, another young man hugged him tightly. After pausing, Hamdine smiled: “I erased my old birthday, Aug. 7, 1987. My new birthday is today, Oct. 13, 2025. I was reborn. It’s a joy beyond words.” EFE
aa-pbj-lz/seo
