Release of Al-Shifa Hospital Director Causes Outrage Across Israel
The release on Monday of the director of Gaza’s largest hospital, who had been held in Israeli custody for more than seven months without charge, was welcomed by Palestinian and human rights groups but sparked outrage across the Israeli political spectrum and exposed growing tensions among government officials.
Mohammad Abu Salmiya headed Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, an early target of the Israeli invasion of Gaza. He was detained in late November while traveling with a UN ambulance convoy evacuating patients from the hospital to southern Gaza and was stopped at an Israeli checkpoint, the Gaza Health Ministry and the Palestinian Red Crescent said.
The Israeli military later released some evidence to support its claim that Hamas was operating out of the Shifa compound, including showing reporters a fortified tunnel built beneath the compound. An investigation by The New York Times suggested that Hamas had used the site as cover and stored weapons there.
Dr. Abu Salmiya’s release appeared to surprise Israeli officials. Itamar Ben Gvir, the far-right minister in charge of national security, called the doctor’s release “security negligence” and blamed Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and Shin Bet intelligence chief Ronen Bar for policies he said contradicted government decisions.
Mr. Gallant’s office dodged responsibility, issuing a statement saying the release of prisoners “is not subject to the approval of the Minister of Defense.” The Israel Prisons Service said in a statement that the decision was made by the Israeli military and the Shin Bet, but the military said Dr. Abu Salmiya had not been in custody.
Even Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu distanced himself from the decision. In a statement on Monday, he called the hospital director’s release “a grave mistake and a moral failure,” saying he and other key officials had not been informed and that those responsible should be jailed.
Seeking to quell the growing outrage, Mr. Netanyahu said he was investigating the decision and expected answers from Mr. Bar of the Shin Bet late on Monday. He also said he would assemble a team of security and military officials to screen prisoners before they are released.
Benny Gantz, a centrist minister who resigned from the war cabinet led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu earlier in June, suggested in a statement to Mr. Netanyahu on Monday: “Prime Minister, if you close some government offices, I am sure that there will be space and money for prisons.”
Mr Gantz took the opportunity to call new elections.
On Monday, visibly weak Dr Abu Salmiya told a news conference in Khan Younis, in southern Gaza, that nearly 50 other Palestinian prisoners, including other doctors and health ministry staff, had also been released and returned to Gaza.
“We were subjected to extreme torture,” said Dr. Abu Salmiya. He said he was repeatedly hit on the head and his finger was broken.
Human rights groups have said Dr Abu Salmiya’s prolonged detention without charge is an example of Israel’s mistreatment of Palestinian prisoners. His release comes as Israel’s High Court considers a petition to close a former army barracks in Sde Teiman, where thousands of Gazans have been held since the war began last year.
