Raids and Abuse as Israel Releases Another Batch of Palestinian Children, Women

November 28, 2023

Palestinian child detainees are released as part of the agreement between the Palestinian Resistance and Israeli occupation. (Photo: Mohammad Nazzal, via Eye on Palestine)

By Palestine Chronicle Staff  

30 Palestinian detainees were released on Tuesday, the fifth day of a prisoner swap between Israel and the Palestinian Resistance in Gaza. 

They included 15 women and 15 boys. Some of the freed female detainees were also minors. 

An International Committee of the Red Cross bus transported detainees from the Ofer military prison to Ramallah, the official Palestinian news agency WAFA reported.

Meanwhile, detainees from occupied East Jerusalem were released from the Russian Compound detention center in West Jerusalem, directly to their homes.

As per the custom of the last four days, hundreds of people received the freed detainees, chanting freedom slogans and calling for the release of all Palestinian prisoners. 

There are still 7,000 Palestinian detainees in Israeli prisons, according to the Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association Addammeer. 

Shortly before the Jerusalem detainees were freed, Israeli occupation forces stormed the homes of their families, threatening them not to hold any celebrations.

This practice is a repeat of similar raids carried out against Palestinian homes in East Jerusalem in recent days.  

Local sources, cited by WAFA, said that Israeli forces raided the homes of several detainees released from Israeli jails in the swap deal in the towns of Silwan, Al-Issawiya, and at-Tur in East Jerusalem.

Israeli forces reportedly stormed the town of Al-Issawiya and sprayed waste water toward homes and residents and families who gathered to receive the detainees.

Following his release, Ahmad al-Salaymeh, 14, the youngest child in Israeli prisons, said that Palestinian detainees in Israeli jails are subjected to brutal abuse by the Israeli prison administration.

Al-Salaymeh’s testimony was consistent with all the testimonies emerging alongside the freed prisoners, who spoke of physical abuse, denial of food, warm clothes and blankets, and many other basic rights. 

The Palestine Chronicle recorded some of these testimonies, which can be viewed here. 

Earlier in the evening, a joint effort by the Hamas and Islamic Jihad movements allowed the release of 10 Israeli prisoners, who had been held in Gaza since October 7. 

The Israeli prisoners seemed in good health. One of the released minors was accompanied by her dog. 

Israeli authorities confirmed that all the released captives were received in Israel safely.

(PC, WAFA)