Israeli occupation forces have reportedly killed more than a dozen Palestinian detainees, hours after releasing them from a detention center in the southern city of Rafah in the Gaza Strip.
A Palestinian survivor who was in detention with approximately 15 others said on Saturday that the regime forces targeted the group with an artillery shell after releasing them, leading to numerous deaths and several injuries.
“The occupying regime, only a few hours ago, released about 15 Palestinian prisoners released. The detainees were workers securing aid trucks and were arrested four days ago in the Gaza airport area, east of Rafah, while awaiting their arrival,” the survivor said, who asked to remain anonymous.
The released detainee further noted that “upon reaching the main road in Rafah city, Israeli soldiers fired a shell at us, resulting in the deaths and injuries of approximately seven individuals. The other workers fled the area.”
He also said Israeli forces subjected them to physical torture and humiliation, throwing them on the ground, walking over their bodies, and even urinating on them.
The Israeli military periodically releases Palestinian detainees arrested in its ground offensive on Gaza. Upon release, the detainees have reported being exposed to various forms of severe torture inside Israeli detention centers, resulting in deep wounds and permanent disabilities.
On Friday, many recently released Palestinians from the Gaza Strip also reported experiencing torture while detained by Israeli forces.
Some of the former Gaza abductees told AFP that they were blindfolded, beaten and bitten by dogs during detention.
The United Nations has already censured “unacceptable” abuse and torture of Palestinian detainees by the Israeli forces amid the Gaza onslaught.
Israel launched its brutal war on Gaza on October 7 last year after Palestinian resistance groups carried out a surprise retaliatory operation into the occupied territories.
So far, the Tel Aviv regime has killed at least 38,011 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and injured 87,445 others.