Over 40 Palestinians released from Israeli prisons showing signs of torture

Israeli authorities released over 40 Palestinian prisoners from jails in Israel and the occupied West Bank on Thursday evening, with visible signs of torture on them, the Palestinian news agency Wafa reported.

The prisoners were released at the Thaheriyya military roadblock south of Hebron, outside Ofer prison and near the Salem military base.

Palestinian prisoner groups including the Palestinian Prisoner’s Society (PPS) said many of those released from the Ketziot Prison in the Naqab (Negev) Desert had skin diseases due to poor conditions in prisons.

According to Wafa, initial photos released of the detainees showed clear evidence of mistreatment, with many of them looking gaunt due to starvation and deprivation of food.

Some of those released from prisons were immediately transferred to hospitals following their release.

Earlier this week, around 25 Palestinian detainees from Gaza were released on Tuesday and were immediately transferred to the Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis for treatment, following months of captivity in "inhuman" conditions, several news agencies reported.

One video showed detainees arriving at the Karam Abu Salem (Kerem Shalom) crossing wearing ragged clothes, looking gaunt and pale and with bandages around their head.

One man, identified as Walid Ibrahim Habib, had serious injuries across his arms and legs.

Medical sources told local media that the recently released detainees faced severe torture, including continuous beatings and electric shocks.

Many of the detainees could be seen with cuts around their arms, likely from handcuffs, with former prisoners saying they were shackled for months at a time causing injuries so horrific that some Palestinians had limbs amputated.

Over 10,000 Palestinians have been detained by Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank since the start of Israel’s war on Gaza, Palestinian prisoner groups and officials have said.

Many of the prisoners are regularly denied adequate food, water and medical treatment and are beaten.

Israel has released small batches of detainees which include journalists, medics, and other civilians, while others are subject to harrowing treatment with no access to lawyers or rights groups, including rape and torture leading to death.

Israel's war on Gaza has killed at least 40,265 Palestinians since 7 October, according to health ministry figures.