Gaza Herald – Eight Palestinian detainees from Gaza were released from Israeli detention on Monday and received at the Martyrs of Al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir al-Balah in serious health conditions, following their incarceration at Sde Teiman prison.
Medical and field sources reported that the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) transferred the released prisoners from the detention facility and immediately admitted them for medical examinations due to severe exhaustion, malnutrition, and physical and psychological torture marks.
Former prisoners testified that conditions in Sde Teiman violated all humanitarian standards, involving systematic physical abuse, including beatings, attacks with police dogs, assaults on sensitive areas, and prolonged forced postures lasting up to 17 hours per day, with restrictions on sleep, speech, and movement.
Reports also highlighted the prevalence of infectious skin diseases, including scabies, caused by poor hygiene and lack of clothing changes, limited to once per month, as well as chronic water and cleaning supply shortages. Prisoners endured deliberate starvation, receiving minimal and low-quality food, leading to significant weight loss.
This batch is part of intermittent releases in February 2026. Typically, released prisoners are transported via Karam Abu Salem crossing and handed over to the Red Cross for transfer to hospitals inside Gaza.
International and local human rights organizations have described Sde Teiman as “Israel’s Guantanamo,” citing systematic torture, medical neglect, and physical abuse. On February 19, 2026, the Committee to Protect Journalists released a report titled “Back from Hell”, documenting testimonies of 59 Palestinian journalists who reported torture, sexual abuse, and threats in the facility.
Human rights groups, including Euro-Med Monitor and Al-Mezan Center for Human Rights, have called on the International Criminal Court to include Sde Teiman in ongoing investigations into violations committed in Gaza.
