Israel Releases Detained Gaza Hospital Director Amid Abuse Allegations, Sparking Controversy

Mohammed Abu Selmia, director of Shifa Hospital in Gaza, was held for seven months without charge before his release. He and other detainees allege they were mistreated and tortured during their detention, while Israeli officials defend the decision to release them due to overcrowding.

## Article:

Israel has released Mohammed Abu Selmia, the director of Gaza's main medical center, Shifa Hospital, after holding him for seven months without charge or trial. The move has sparked controversy, with government ministers and opposition leaders condemning the decision, while the Israeli military says it was made to free up space in overcrowded detention centers.

Israel Releases Detained Gaza Hospital Director Amid Abuse Allegations, Sparking Controversy

Abu Selmia and 54 other Palestinian detainees were released on Monday. Upon his release, Abu Selmia alleged that he and other detainees were subjected to abuse during their detention, including beatings and torture.

"Our detainees have been subjected to all kinds of torture behind bars," Abu Selmia said at a news conference after his release. "There was almost daily torture." He said guards broke his finger and caused his head to bleed during beatings, in which they used batons and dogs.

Israel Releases Detained Gaza Hospital Director Amid Abuse Allegations, Sparking Controversy

The Israeli prison service has previously denied similar allegations, and there was no immediate response to Abu Selmia's claims.

The decision to release Abu Selmia has drawn harsh condemnations from government ministers and opposition leaders. Itamar Ben Gvir, Israel's far-right national security minister, said the release of Abu Selmia and the others constituted "security negligence" and blamed the Defense Ministry. Yair Lapid, an opposition leader, said Abu Selmia's release was another sign of the government's "lawlessness and dysfunction."

The Defense Ministry said the decision to release Abu Selmia was made by the Shin Bet internal security agency and the army. The Shin Bet said the government had decided — against its advice — to release detainees who were determined to be less of a threat in order to free up space.

"Though the Shifa Hospital Chief passed the risk assessment compared to other detainees — the matter will be internally reviewed," it said.

Since the start of the war, Israeli forces have detained thousands of Palestinians from Gaza and the occupied West Bank, crowding military detention facilities and prisons. Many are being held without charge or trial in what is known as administrative detention.

Israel launched its offensive after Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack, in which Palestinian militants killed some 1,200 civilians and took another 250 hostage. The war has killed at least 37,900 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which does not say how many were civilians or fighters.

Most of Gaza’s population of 2.3 million have fled their homes, with many displaced multiple times. Israeli restrictions, ongoing fighting and the breakdown of public order have hindered the delivery of humanitarian aid, fueling widespread hunger and sparking fears of famine.