"Severely mistreated"

Israeli apparently released 150 prisoners

Archive image from 2023: Poster of imprisoned Palestinians in the West Bank(Bild: APA/AFP/JAAFAR ASHTIYEH)

According to Palestinian authorities, Israel has released 150 arrested Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. Some of the prisoners are said to have been severely mistreated.

During the more than six-month military offensive in the Gaza Strip following the attack on Israel by the radical Islamic group Hamas, Israeli soldiers arrested hundreds of Palestinians and held them without charge. They were released in groups. According to the border crossing authority and an AFP journalist from Israel, the most recent group was brought back into the Gaza Strip via the Kerem Shalom border crossing. Some of those released were treated at the hospital in the city of Rafah in the south of the Palestinian territory.

The Israeli military did not comment on the release, merely emphasizing that the mistreatment of prisoners was "absolutely forbidden". It also stated that those who were not involved in terrorist activities would be released.

In the course of its offensive, the Israeli army has arrested numerous Palestinians.(Bild: APA/AFP/Israeli Army)

UNRWA: "Completely traumatized prisoners"
Last month, the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA) expressed concern about the situation of Palestinian prisoners in Israel. UNRWA head Philippe Lazzarini said that detainees from the Gaza Strip were returning "completely traumatized" and reported a "wide range of abuses".

What Hamas is demanding for the hostages
During the indirect negotiations in the Gaza war, the Islamist Hamas is said to have presented the mediators with a counter-proposal for a hostage deal. The Israeli newspaper "Haaretz" reported on Monday night that the counter-proposal would only provide for the release of Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails and a gradual withdrawal of Israeli troops from the Gaza Strip after a 42-day ceasefire.

The terrorist organization had previously rejected a compromise proposal from the USA, which envisaged the release of 40 hostages in exchange for 900 Palestinian prisoners during a six-week ceasefire.