The family of a young Palestinian who went missing nearly 21 months ago has identified him in an Instagram photo posted by an Israeli soldier, offering their first proof of life after months of uncertainty.
Mahmoud Atallah Al-Drimli, 22, appeared in the photograph blindfolded and handcuffed between two female Israeli soldiers.
While the image confirmed he was alive when it was taken, it has raised urgent questions regarding his current whereabouts, health, and legal status.
Al-Drimli disappeared on 2 November 2024 while attempting to return to Gaza City via the Netzarim Corridor.
At the time, Israeli forces controlled the passage separating northern and southern Gaza.
'Relief mixed with heartbreak'
His mother told Anadolu agency that inquiries with the Red Cross had previously yielded no results.
"When I saw the photo, I felt relief because I knew he was still alive, but at the same time my heart broke seeing him blindfolded and handcuffed," she said.
She criticized the publication of the image, saying: "These photos do not humiliate my son; they humiliate those who took and published them."
His brother Ahmed called the picture "a glimmer of hope" after nearly two years of absence, appealing to international rights organizations to reveal Mahmoud's whereabouts.
According to the Palestinian Prisoners' Club, approximately 9,400 Palestinians were being held in Israeli custody as of early July.
Rights groups report that the fates of hundreds of Gaza detainees remain undisclosed as authorities continue to withhold information regarding detention sites and medical conditions.
