Since the start of its war on Gaza on 7 October 2023, Israel has arbitrarily arrested hundreds of Palestinian citizens in its ground offensives in the northern, central, and southern parts of the strip.

Some detainees were released after months, weeks, or just a few days in detention, while others were freed as part of the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas.

However, the fate of many remains unclear.

On Thursday, Gaza Civil Defence said 10 of the freed detainees were transported to Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir Al-Balah in central Gaza, as reported by the Sama news agency.

Many of the released detainees were elderly, some unable to walk, and bore visible signs of torture, according to WAFA news agency.

In September 2024, the Israeli authorities also released 12 detainees from the Gaza Strip.

Systematic abuse and torture
 
On Thursday, the Palestinian Commission for Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs said more than 2,000 Gazans remain imprisoned in Israeli detention facilities, including Sde Teiman, Anatot, Ofer Military Prison, and the Negev Desert Prison.

It also noted that the Israeli occupation has detained at least 16,400 Palestinians from the West Bank since the start of the war on Gaza.

Israel's frequent arbitrary detentions of Palestinians have often targeted individuals without clear evidence or legal justification.

In February, Amnesty indicated that over 4,000 Palestinians are held without charge or trial either under administrative detention or based on the Unlawful Combatants’ Law, which violates international law.

The international organization called for an immediate release of the Palestinians arbitrarily detained by Israel, emphasizing that this should not be tied to ceasefire negotiations.

Many of these individuals were held per what is known as Israel's "administrative detention without trial or charge."

Dozens of Palestinian prisoners died under torture, starvation, or medical neglect.

Last August, an Israeli human rights group confirmed that thousands of Palestinian prisoners are facing systematic abuse and torture in Israeli jails.

Testimonies from 55 ex-detainees revealed "inhuman conditions," according to a B'Tselem report, which said more than a dozen prison facilities were being used as "de facto torture camps."

"The testimonies clearly indicated a systematic, institutional policy focused on the continual abuse and torture of all Palestinian prisoners held by Israel," the report added.