At least 95 Palestinian medical workers, including Anis al-Astal, remain detained in Israeli prisons without charge. Al-Astal was among dozens of Palestinians released from detention on October 13 as part of a ceasefire agreement, but his whereabouts are now unknown.
For Maha Wafi and her five children, the uncertainty is unbearable. They had waited for nearly two years to be reunited with their husband and father after he was detained by Israeli forces. The family's home had been under a displacement order from the military when al-Astal was taken, adding to their chaos.
The Israeli military claims that any allegations of abuse are thoroughly examined and that no systematic abuse takes place in its prisons. However, human rights groups have documented severe abuse, including beatings, torture, and humiliation, particularly against Palestinian detainees.
Anis al-Astal, a director of ambulance services in southern Gaza, was detained with three other colleagues on December 2, 2023. His colleagues reported being held in degrading conditions, subjected to strip searches, verbal abuse, and threats. Al-Astal had been "subjected to strip searches, verbal abuse, offensive language, and threats," according to the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights.
When al-Astal was finally released on October 13 as part of the ceasefire agreement, his family anxiously awaited news of his whereabouts. However, a call from one of his colleagues revealed that he was nowhere to be found.
The uncertainty is taking a toll on families in Gaza, who are struggling to cope with the loss of their loved ones and the trauma inflicted by Israeli forces. The situation has become even more dire for Palestinian medical workers, including Anis al-Astal, who remain detained without charge.
An estimated 400 Palestinians have been detained since October 7, 2023, under Israel's Incarceration of Unlawful Combatants Law, which allows for prisoners to be held without charge for an unlimited time. The law has been criticized by human rights groups and Amnesty International as being used arbitrarily to round up Palestinian civilians from Gaza.
For many Palestinians in Gaza, the nightmare is far from over. The trauma inflicted by Israeli forces continues to have a profound impact on families who are struggling to come to terms with the loss of their loved ones and the uncertainty surrounding their detention.
For Maha Wafi and her five children, the uncertainty is unbearable. They had waited for nearly two years to be reunited with their husband and father after he was detained by Israeli forces. The family's home had been under a displacement order from the military when al-Astal was taken, adding to their chaos.
The Israeli military claims that any allegations of abuse are thoroughly examined and that no systematic abuse takes place in its prisons. However, human rights groups have documented severe abuse, including beatings, torture, and humiliation, particularly against Palestinian detainees.
Anis al-Astal, a director of ambulance services in southern Gaza, was detained with three other colleagues on December 2, 2023. His colleagues reported being held in degrading conditions, subjected to strip searches, verbal abuse, and threats. Al-Astal had been "subjected to strip searches, verbal abuse, offensive language, and threats," according to the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights.
When al-Astal was finally released on October 13 as part of the ceasefire agreement, his family anxiously awaited news of his whereabouts. However, a call from one of his colleagues revealed that he was nowhere to be found.
The uncertainty is taking a toll on families in Gaza, who are struggling to cope with the loss of their loved ones and the trauma inflicted by Israeli forces. The situation has become even more dire for Palestinian medical workers, including Anis al-Astal, who remain detained without charge.
An estimated 400 Palestinians have been detained since October 7, 2023, under Israel's Incarceration of Unlawful Combatants Law, which allows for prisoners to be held without charge for an unlimited time. The law has been criticized by human rights groups and Amnesty International as being used arbitrarily to round up Palestinian civilians from Gaza.
For many Palestinians in Gaza, the nightmare is far from over. The trauma inflicted by Israeli forces continues to have a profound impact on families who are struggling to come to terms with the loss of their loved ones and the uncertainty surrounding their detention.
hes been detained in israeli prisons 4eva n no 1 knows wats happenin 2 him 
his fam is dyin of worry rn theyve been apart 4 almost 2 yrs already & now hes jus "disappeared" 
i dont care wut the israelis say about their treatment policies, its clear somethin is seriously wrong 
the fact that he was held in degrading conditions n subjected 2 verbal abuse is just heartbreaking 
these Palestinian medics r doin ther part 4 helpin ppl in Gaza & this is how they r repayd 
we need 2 take a stand 4 them & demand justice 
and I saw this crazy bird that looked like a mix between an eagle and a falcon, I'm not even kidding! Anyway, I was thinking about how some of these birds have this amazing ability to fly so high and free, it's like they're untethered from all our worries. Speaking of which, what's up with the lack of updates on Anis al-Astal? It's been ages since he was released and his family is still waiting for answers 
. I wonder if anyone has even checked in with him lately...
i just hope ppl start speaking out 4 these Palestinian medical workers they deserve justice 
anis al-astal's situation is just heartbreaking, i can only imagine how anxious maha wafi must be, waiting for news about her husband & father after 2 yrs of being separated from them 
And now Anis al-Astal is nowhere to be found 
The situation is just so messed up for these families in Gaza, I feel so bad for them 
It's like they're playin' with people's lives, and it's not right at all.
The system is so messed up 
. I don't think anyone should be held hostage like this 
. The Israeli military is all talk, nobody knows what's really going on behind closed doors 
. This is so inhumane and it's not like these guys are combatants or anything, just medics trying to help people 
.
. It's time for the international community to take notice and demand accountability for these heinous actions 
95+ Palestinians detained without charge is a total of 400 in just under 3 months 
That's like, 1300 people every year... 
. I mean, the Israeli military says they're not doing anything wrong but we know from human rights groups that it's a whole different story. It's not like this is a new thing either - people have been saying this for years and nothing has changed 