Gaza Herald – Israeli authorities released eight detainees from the Gaza Strip on Thursday evening through the Kerem Abu Salem crossing, handing them over to the International Committee of the Red Cross before their transfer back into the strip.
Medical teams transported the detainees directly to Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in central Gaza, where initial examinations revealed signs of acute exhaustion, significant weight loss, and indications of physical and psychological abuse sustained during detention, according to local medical sources.
The Prisoners Media Office said Israeli prison authorities continue to subject Gaza detainees to systematic mistreatment inside Negev and Ramla prisons.
The office stated that prison administrations impose strict intimidation measures that prevent detainees from fully disclosing details of their conditions or communicating freely with their families during visits.
Israeli authorities currently classify approximately 1,249 Gaza detainees as “unlawful combatants,” a designation that allows extended detention without standard legal proceedings. The figure, updated to early February 2026, does not include detainees reportedly held in Israeli military detention camps that fall outside publicly released prison statistics.
Palestinian official institutions estimate that more than 9,300 Palestinians remain in Israeli custody, including 350 minors and 56 women. Human rights groups continue to raise concerns over deteriorating humanitarian conditions, limited medical care, and allegations of abuse within Israeli detention camps.
