- Israel detains Palestinian in Gaza
- Accusations of humiliating treatment
- International condemnation urged
As fighting continues in the northern region of Gaza and around Khan Younis, a video has emerged on social media depicting the detention of dozens of Palestinian males by Israel.
They are shown on camera kneeling on the ground, dressed only in their pants, and being guarded by Israeli soldiers.
The males were presumably apprehended in Beit Lahia, located in the northernmost region of the Gaza Strip.
An individual identified as a prominent Palestinian journalist has been detained, leading to accusations of “invasive searches and humiliating treatment” of civilians by Israel against his employers.
A spokesperson for the Israeli government responded, stating that the detained men were all of military age and were “discovered in areas where civilians were supposed to have evacuated weeks ago” when asked about the video.
Dozens of men are seen lined up on the sidewalk in the video. They appear to have been instructed to remove their shoes, which are scattered about the roadway. They are being guarded by Israeli armored vehicles and militarised personnel.
Additional photographs depict their transportation via military vehicles. The Israeli media characterize the captives as Hamas combatants who have surrendered.
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A spokesman for the Israel Defence Forces (IDF), Daniel Hagari, stated on Thursday that “hundreds of terrorist suspects were detained and interrogated by Shin Bet officers and IDF fighters.” The IDF has not commented explicitly on the images.
A considerable number of them have also surrendered to our forces within the last twenty-four hours. The intelligence obtained through their interrogations is employed to sustain the ongoing conflict.
Detention in Gaza and Family’s Ordeal
Eylon Levy, a spokesman for the Israeli government, announced on Friday that the men had been apprehended in Jabalia and Shejaiya, two locations in northern Gaza that he termed “strongholds and centres of gravity for Hamas.”
He stated that males of military age were discovered in areas where civilians were supposed to have evacuated weeks prior.
Additionally, they would be questioned to “determine who was a Hamas terrorist and who was not,” Mr. Levy stated.
He emphasized that the detained men were discovered in regions where “close-quarter combat” between Israeli forces and Hamas had occurred. “Deliberately disguising themselves as civilians” and operating from civilian buildings were their methods.
Ten of his relations were among those who were apprehended by the Israeli army in Beit Lahia on Thursday.
Due to safety concerns, the man wishes to remain anonymous. He said IDF soldiers used megaphones to order men from their homes and UNRWA classrooms.
He stated that after the IDF ordered the local women to a nearby hospital, they threatened to shoot them if the males did not leave their homes.
The man stated that seven of his relations have been released and returned home since then. However, he is unaware of the whereabouts of the three whom the Israelis still detain.
Condemnation of Detention and Urgent Appeals
The footage was characterized by the Palestinian ambassador to the United Kingdom as “savage images of Israeli occupation forces detaining and stripping civilians taken from a UN shelter” in a social media post.
“This brings to mind some of the darkest periods in human history,” Husam Zomlot remarked.
Diaa al-Kahlout, a Palestinian journalist and al-Araby al-Jadeed correspondent has been recognized as one of the individuals featured in the video depicting the detainees.
According to the Arabic-language news outlet, which also operates in English under the name the New Arab, Israeli forces in Beit Lahia have apprehended Mr. al-Kahlout, his brothers, relatives, and “other civilians.”
Al-Araby al-Jadeed issued a condemnation of Mr. al-Kahlout’s “humiliating” detention on Thursday.
The soldiers “subjected them to invasive searches and humiliating treatment upon their arrest, prior to transporting them to undisclosed locations,” the report continued, adding that the men were compelled to remove their clothing.
Human rights organizations, defenders and watchdogs of journalists’ rights, and the international community are urged to denounce Israel’s ongoing assault on journalists in the territory, according to the source.
On Friday, Palestinian journalist Lamis Andoni, a colleague of Mr. al-Kahlout, reported that several prisoners had been released. However, Mr. al-Kahlout himself had not been released.
Ms. Andoni said they told Mr. Kahlout’s family that he was taken to Israel’s Zikim military base.
“His fate is unknown to us at this time. The images and videos depicting these individuals are abhorrent. I’m astounded,” she exclaimed, adding that her media organization was communicating with Israeli forces through the UK.
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