CrossFireArabia
After seven months in captivity the Israeli occupation army released the director of the Al Shifa Medical Complex Dr Mohammad Abu Salmiya along with 54 Palestinian prisoners incarcerated with him.
News of their release, Monday 1 July, 2024, is making headways on social media with images and commentary.
The freed Palestinian prisoners were transported first to Al Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Dier Al Balah and then to Nasser Hospital where Abu Samiya held a press conference, outlining what he was subjected to by the Israeli authorities.
Dr Abu Samiya who was arrested on 23 November, 2023, said he was tried three times but the Israeli authorities said there was anything against him but he was kept in detention nevertheless.
In a full interview with Anadolu, he said the conditions of the Palestinian prisoner’s kept in Israeli jails are “tragic, unprecedented in Palestinian history with sever food shortages and physical humiliation.”
Later the director of Al-Shfa said “We are determined to rebuild Gaza and rebuild the Al-Shifa Medical Complex once more,” and make it an medical health institution for the whole of Gaza and the West Bank.
The release of the Palestinian prisoners has created much animosity among the members of the Israeli government like hard-right Minister of National Security Itamar Bin Gvir who criticized the move, terming it as “security negligence.”
He blamed the release of the Palestinian prisoners on Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and the Shin Bet and said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu must force them to stope pursuing an independent policy that contradicts the government.
Surprisingly as well, criticism of the release came Benny Gantz who recently resigned from the now disbanded Israeli War Cabinet over the conduct of the war on Gaza.
“The government has committed an operational, ethical, and moral failure. Whoever made the decision lacks leadership abilities and should be dismissed today,” he said.
