INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
More than 600 Palestinian detainees were freed on Thursday from Israeli jails in the last batch of the very first phase of the Israel-Hamas
slave exchange and ceasefire deal.This follows several delays by Israel in the release of more than 640 prisoners, according to figures from
the Palestinian Prisoners Society (PPS) and the Commission of Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs, which was initially scheduled for
Saturday.Around 450 of them were launched to Gaza, with several requiring instant treatment upon arrival and were administered into the
European Hospital inKhan Younis, in the south of the besieged enclave.More than 15 prisoners serving life sentences or long-lasting
sentences were amongst those launched, including 40 released to the West Bank.Some detainees who werehanded life sentences were also
banished as part of a group of 97 who were sent to Egypt, consisting of the longest-serving political prisoner in the world, Nael
Their release occurred as Hamas handed over four bodies of Israeli captives to the Red Cross.Israeli authorities verified their identities
to be Itzik Elgarat, Ohad Yahalomi, Shlomo Mantzur and Tsahi Idan.Despite the pleasure felt throughout the occupied West Bank and Gaza,
numerous released detainees showed signs of distress, abuse, hunger and medical negligence in Israeli-run jails and detention centers.A
variety of them got medical attention not long after their release.In one clip, a previous detainee in a bus entering the Gaza
Stripwarnedabout the condition of those remaining in jail, shouting: Prisoners [inside Israeli jails] are in danger
Save them.In a differentclip, the same Palestinian guy describes the torture theyendured
We could not sleep, we were exhausted
They tortured us in the Israeli jails
They tortured us and broke us
We couldnt eat, he says, adding that they had actually been kept waiting in the buses given that 7am
AnotherPalestinian man explained his detention as comparable to the horrors of Nazism and hell
We remained in hell, and we came out of hell, he said.One case of serious health problems upon release was that ofKazem Zawahreh, who had
actually been in a coma for months
He was instantly transferred to a medical facility in the West Bank, according to local reports.Other clips revealed released captives
unable to stroll due to their injuries, consisting of those who had undergoneamputations.Rampant torture has actually been taped in civilian
and military detention centers across Israel in recent months, leading to the deaths of at least 60 known Palestinians since 7 October 2023,
amongst them are at least 39from Gaza.The most current victim was 34-year-oldRaafat Adnan Abdul Aziz Abu Fanouneh, who was captured from
Gaza, according to the General Authority of Civil Affairs, the Ministry of Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs, and the PPS.The exchanges on
Thursday marked the final swaps concurred upon between Israel and Hamas as part of the very first stage of the ceasefire contract, which is
due to end on Saturday.Discussions for the 2nd phase, including the release of more Palestinian and Israeli captives, were arranged earlier
this month, but no progress has been made up until now.
