Gaza's Al Shifa Hospital director says Israeli forces tortured him in jail

The head of the Gaza's biggest hospital has said after being freed from more than seven months of detention that he had been tortured by Israel.

Al Shifa hospital director Dr. Mohammed Abu Salmiya was among over 50 Palestinian captives that Israel released on Monday, according to an Israeli minister and a medical source in the besieged territory.

Salmiya said he was put through "severe torture" during his detention, which left him with a broken thumb.

"Prisoners are subjected to all kinds of torture," he told a press conference. "Several inmates died in interrogation centres and were deprived of food and medicine."

"For two months no prisoner ate more than a loaf of bread a day," said Salmiya.

"Detainees were subjected to physical and psychological humiliation."

The medical chief said no charge had ever been made against him.

Freed detainees

Israeli forces detained Salmiya during one of a number of raids on Al Shifa.

The hospital has largely been reduced to rubble by successive raids since Israel launched its assault on Gaza after the October 7 Hamas blitz.

Salmiya and the other freed detainees crossed back in to Gaza from Israel just east of Khan Younis, a medical source at the Al Aqsa hospital in Deir al Balah said.

Five detainees were admitted to Al Aqsa hospital and the others were sent to hospitals in Khan Younis, the source added.

Israel's military said it was "checking" reports about the release.

However, National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir confirmed the operation when he posted on X, formerly Twitter, that Salmiya's release "with dozens of other terrorists is security abandonment".

The Gaza European hospital in Khan Younis said the head of its orthopaedic unit, Bassam Miqdad, was also among those freed on Monday.

In May, Palestinian rights groups said a senior Al Shifa surgeon had died in an Israeli jail after being detained. The Israeli army said it was unaware of the death.