Israel releases 14 Palestinian detainees from Gaza after months in detention

By Ramzi Mahmud and Mohammad Sio

ISTANBUL (AA) – Israel set free 14 Palestinian detainees from the Gaza Strip on Tuesday after several months in detention, a medical source said.

The source said the detainees were released at the Kissufim crossing in central Gaza, where they were transferred by vehicles of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah city.

Palestinian prisoners previously set free by Israel have shown signs of torture and medical neglect after their release from custody.

The ICRC typically facilitates the transport of released detainees to hospitals, where they receive basic hygiene supplies and clothing in addition to medical care.

Thousands of Palestinians from Gaza are believed to have been detained by the Israeli army amid its ongoing genocidal war on the enclave.

Despite international calls for a ceasefire, the Israeli army has pursued a deadly onslaught on Gaza, killing more than 56,600 Palestinians, mostly women and children, since October 2023.

Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.