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Israel released the director of Gaza’s largest hospital, Al-Shifa Hospital, after more than seven months of detention without public charges being made. Mohammad Abu Salmiya was taken into custody during an Israeli military raid last November. His release drew outrage in Israel, with some officials criticizing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s handling of the situation. Dr. Abu Salmiya, along with nearly 50 other Palestinian detainees, including doctors and health ministry staff, were released and returned to Gaza. He said they were subjected to extreme torture during their detention.

Dr. Abu Salmiya denied the accusations that Al-Shifa Hospital served as a Hamas command-and-control center, which led to his initial detention. The hospital became a symbol of the conflict between Israel’s targeting of medical facilities and Hamas’s alleged use of civilian infrastructure for military purposes. The Israeli military cited evidence of Hamas operating from within the hospital, including tunnels and weapons storage.

The decision to release Dr. Abu Salmiya caused controversy in Israel, with some seeing it as a moral error and criticism of Mr. Netanyahu’s management of the war. The Shin Bet agency stated that the release was necessary due to a lack of space in detention centers for new arrests. The conflict around Al-Shifa Hospital led to two weeks of combat in March, resulting in extensive damage to the hospital’s buildings and casualties.

The Gaza health ministry called for the release of all detained medical workers, stating that over 310 had been detained during the war. Dr. Abu Salmiya’s release highlights the ongoing tensions and human rights concerns in the region.

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