Gaza Herald _The moment Jabr Al-Majdalawi returned to Gaza was expected to be one of celebration. Instead, it became a powerful reminder of the thousands of Palestinians who remain in Israeli prisons.
Moments after crossing into Gaza on Tuesday, the recently released detainee broke down in tears and let out a piercing cry before telling those gathered around him: “This is not only my cry, it is the cry of every prisoner still there.”
His emotional words, spoken after nearly 21 months in Israeli detention, have renewed attention on the conditions inside Israeli prisons and the growing calls from human rights organizations for greater transparency and protection of Palestinian detainees.
Released Through Kerem Shalom Crossing
Israeli authorities released 60 Palestinian detainees from Gaza through the Kerem Shalom crossing, where they were received by relatives and representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross.
Al-Majdalawi said he had spent one year and nine months in detention, including six months at the Sde Teiman detention facility, without contact with the outside world.
He said he learned of his release only moments before being transferred to Red Cross personnel.
“The words cannot describe what we lived through,” he said. “We suffered greatly, and the prisoners who remain inside are still in danger. What is happening to them cannot be put into words.”
A Pattern of Similar Testimonies
Al-Majdalawi’s account echoes dozens of testimonies collected in recent months by Palestinian and international human rights organizations from detainees released since the start of the war.
Former prisoners have reported allegations of physical abuse, torture, starvation, prolonged solitary confinement, denial of medical care, and other forms of mistreatment, particularly among Palestinians detained from Gaza since October 2023.
The consistency of these accounts has prompted rights groups to call for independent investigations and for Israel to ensure that detainees are treated in accordance with international humanitarian law.
Thousands Still Detained
According to Palestinian prisoner advocacy organizations, thousands of Palestinians remain in Israeli custody, including many detained from Gaza. The whereabouts of some detainees have remained unknown for extended periods.
Human rights groups continue to call for access to detainees, disclosure of their conditions, and compliance with international legal standards, including the Geneva Conventions.
Al-Majdalawi’s cry quickly faded after he embraced his family, but its message continues to resonate.
Rather than marking the end of one man’s ordeal, it served as a reminder of the thousands of Palestinians who remain behind bars, and of the growing calls to reveal their fate and end the conditions they are reported to face.
