**Summary: Palestinian Detainees Return to a Devastated Gaza, Describe Torture and Abuse in Israeli Detention**
As dozens of Palestinian detainees stepped off buses into the war-ravaged streets of Khan Younis, southern Gaza, the scenes that greeted them were a far cry from the home they remembered. Many spoke of utter shock, heartbreak, and disbelief at the scale of destruction, as well as harrowing experiences of abuse during their time in Israeli detention. Their stories add new layers to the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza, which has been under relentless bombardment and siege since the Hamas-led attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023.
**A Changed Homeland**
One of the released detainees, Shadi Abu Sido, 35, a cameraman for a Lebanon-based television station, summed up the collective feeling as he shouted, “Gaza is now gone. It’s like a scene from ‘Judgment Day.’” The devastation was so complete that even those who had lived through previous conflicts could barely recognize their neighborhoods. Abu Sido, like many others, was deeply affected not only by the physical transformation of Gaza, but also by the emotional trauma of being separated from his family and uncertain of their fate. Shockingly, he said his Israeli captors had falsely told him that his wife and children had died, a psychological blow that compounded the agony of his imprisonment.
The detainees were part of a recent release, which saw 1,718 Palestinians freed in exchange for the return of 20 surviving Israeli hostages held in Gaza. In addition, 250 Palestinian security prisoners—those convicted of serious crimes including murder—were released as part of the broad swap agreement. Most of the Palestinian detainees had been held without charge since the start of the Israeli military campaign in Gaza, following the Hamas attacks last October.
**Testimonies of Abuse and Harsh Conditions**
Many of the released Palestinians have begun to share disturbing accounts of their treatment while in Israeli custody. Abu Sido recounted to NBC News that upon his arrest in March 2024, while filming at Al-Shifa Hospital in northern Gaza, he was subjected to immediate humiliation and violence. Stripped naked, handcuffed, and reportedly having his rib broken during the arrest, Abu Sido described the initial ordeal as only the beginning of a long period of suffering.
He said he spent weeks handcuffed and blindfolded, deprived of basic necessities: “No food, no bathroom, no talking, no lifting your head.” He emphasized that any breach of these strict rules was met with brutal punishment: “Those who disobeyed were hung on the wall and beaten.” Abu Sido also described being singled out for particular abuse because of his work as a cameraman. One interrogator, he said, targeted his eye in repeated beatings, apparently to ensure he would no longer be able to operate a camera. As a result, Abu Sido now requires specialist medical treatment, which he fears may not be available in the devastated health infrastructure of Gaza.
Moureen Kaki, a Palestinian American aid worker with the medical NGO Glia, was among those present at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis as the released detainees arrived for medical checks. She described a scene of widespread physical and psychological distress. “Everybody was affected by scabies,” she said, noting that nearly every former detainee shared similar stories of torture, food deprivation, and being forced to drink toilet water, especially in the period since the ceasefire was announced. “It wasn’t just one person with this story—it was every single person we talked to.” Kaki reported that some of the detainees arrived at the hospital with fresh gunshot wounds, which appeared to have occurred within the previous three weeks, suggesting ongoing violence inside the detention facilities up to the moment of their release.
**Return of Bodies and Allegations of Torture**
The release of detainees was accompanied by the return of 120 bodies of Palestinians who had died in Israeli custody. The Ministry of Health in Gaza published photographs indicating signs of severe abuse, including missing fingers and toes, and other evidence of torture. These images have further inflamed accusations of mistreatment and violations of international law.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) did not respond to requests for comment from NBC News regarding these allegations. However, there have been documented incidents where Israeli soldiers faced legal consequences for mistreatment of detainees. In February,