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SvennoJ on 14 April 2025
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Palestinian prisoners released from Israeli jails show signs of torture

The nine Palestinian prisoners released today and brought to Al-Aqsa Hospital in Gaza had been arrested at a checkpoint six months ago when Israeli forces besieged the Jabalia refugee camp.

We could see that they had signs of torture on their bodies. Doctors said they were deprived of food and basic necessities. Their families were also unaware of where they were being held.

There are thousands of Palestinians held in Israeli jails, and relatives who do not know where they are have been calling the ICRC [International Committee for the Red Cross] for information on their whereabouts.

Meanwhile, Israeli attacks continue across Gaza. There have been at least two air strikes since the morning. One took place in the Tuffah neighbourhood of Gaza City, where six Palestinians were killed, and another one in Khuza’a in Khan Younis, where five Palestinians were killed.


Former Israeli officials, academics join call to end war and return captives: Report

In Israel, pressure on Netanyahu is growing as dozens of former ambassadors and senior Foreign Ministry officials support calls to return the captives even if that means an end to the war on Gaza.

The Israeli news outlet Ynet reported that the former officials signed a letter supporting air force veterans who last week began calling for the government to prioritise the captives over its war efforts.

A retired Supreme Court  justice and former Washington attache, Elyakim Rubinstein, signed the letter that read: “We demand immediate action to release the hostages in one fell swoop, even at the cost of stopping the war.”

Moreover, about 3,500 Israeli academics signed a petition demanding the return of the captives and an end to a war they said was serving the political and personal interests of the government. They added that the continuation of the war would lead to the deaths of the captives, Haaretz reported.



‘Scum’: Israeli minister lashes out against protesters demanding return of captives

A group of Israelis have used a new tactic to protest outside the home of Environment Minister Idit Silman in the city of Rehovot in central Israel.

They spelled out “one pita a day” using the flatbreads in a reference to the small rations that captives reportedly receive in Gaza. The message came during Passover, a time when it is forbidden for observant Jews to eat leavened bread.

The far-right minister and Likud party member called the protesters “scum” in a post on X with a picture of the pitas on the street.

“It’s not for the sake of the kidnapped. It’s not for democracy. It’s not even for politics. It’s just that they are despicable types, lacking basic human values. Zero concern for others, zero respect for Judaism, and zero civility.”

Relations between Israelis supportive of a deal that would secure the release of the captives and government members have grown increasingly tense with some ministers on occasion lashing out at family members of captives.