Asia Pacific Report
Analysts and commentators have described how images of the hundreds of Palestinian detainees and prisoners have “dehumanised” them and revealed their “horrible” treatment.
Three Israeli captives were released by Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad yesterday in exchange for 369 Palestinians held in Israeli jails as part of the ceasefire in Gaza.
The captives released were identified as US-Israeli Sagui Dekel-Chen, Russian-Israeli Alexandre Sasha Troufanov and Argentinian-Israeli Yair Horn.
- READ MORE: Israel frees Palestinian prisoners after 3 captives released in Gaza
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Of the Palestinians released, 333 had been arrested in Gaza and held without charge. They were sent back to the besieged enclave and greeted by remarkable emotional scenes of large crowds.
They disembarked from the buses that had taken them to the European Hospital in Khan Younis.
They made the Victory sign as they left the buses and were greeted by their loved ones.
Ten were released in the occupied West Bank — and half of them were taken to hospital after being treated badly in captivity, one in occupied East Jerusalem and 25 were either being deported to Gaza or Egypt.
The Israel Prison Service published images showing Palestinian prisoners who were being released were forced to wear shirts with the Star of David and slogans that read, “We do not forget, and we do not forgive”.
‘Stunning’ photos of ill-treatment
Dr Mohamad Elmasry, professor in the media studies programme at the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies, called the photographs “stunning”.
Speaking to Al Jazeera, he said this was “another method” under which Israel intended to “dehumanise” Palestinians.
Elmasry noted that 333 of the Palestinians being released today were arrested without any charge.
“These are people who by Israel’s own admission have not committed a crime,” he said.
“And this is the case with thousands of Palestinians who are in jail right now [under] administrative detention,” he said, adding it was well-documented that many of the Palestinian prisoners were “treated horribly” inside Israeli prisons.
Reporting from Amman, Jordan, Nour Odeh said that half of the Palestinian prisoners released to the West Bank were taken to hospital.
“We have seen that time and time again whether it is in the occupied West Bank or in Gaza,” she said.
“Palestinians released from Israeli captivity are in very bad shape. They speak of malnutrition, of going hungry; for the past 15 months of being deprived of even hygiene products.”
RAMALLAH: Palestinian prisoners have been released from Israeli jails.
At least 4 have been taken straight to the hospital due to poor health because of conditions in Israeli prisons.
A total of 369 Palestinian detainees are set to be released. pic.twitter.com/jNdFv3sERa
— Hamdah Salhut (@hamdahsalhut) February 15, 2025
‘Beatings, threatened with assassination’
They were only being allowed to shower every 10 days for a minute as per the command of the former Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir.
“They talk about beatings, mistreatment even in those last hours of their release . . . they were told not to speak to the media, not to celebrate in any way their release,” she said.
“They were threatened with assassination even if they resume any activity. That’s why a lot of those who were released today in Ramallah apologised for not speaking to the media.
“They spoke openly about being monitored, about not being allowed to speak.
“Their health is clearly ailing because of those months of mistreatment.”
‘Bittersweet happiness’
In Ramallah, a Palestinian mother, Mariam Oweiss, spoken of her “bittersweet happiness” after the release of her sons from Israeli prison.
The two brothers had been sentenced to life terms. But one was released to the occupied West Bank while the other was being deported.
“I was hoping they would both be released home,” Oweiss said. But she added, “At least they will both be out of prison shackles.”
She said it would be easier for her as a mother if both had come home, but that it would be easier for the son being deported.
“Anywhere but prison,” she said.
