Palestinian Woman Claims Mistreatment Following Detention by Israel in Gaza, Reports Reuters

By Mohammad Salem

RAFAH, Gaza Strip – Israeli soldiers apprehended Tamam al-Aswad in December after their tanks breached the walls of a school in Gaza City where she was taking shelter. She spent weeks in custody in Israel, where she alleges she faced insults and mistreatment.

Aswad reported that she was released on Thursday at the Kerem Shalom crossing into Gaza, expressing concern over her inability to contact her family since her arrest.

The Israeli military did not immediately respond to requests for comments regarding Aswad’s detention or her claims of abuse. In the past, they have stated that detentions are conducted under international law and that protocols are in place to ensure prisoners are treated with dignity.

"Two tanks entered the school. I watched from a hole in the wall and saw them entering homes and blowing them up. I heard women’s voices from inside those homes. It was terrifying," she recounted.

Aswad is among numerous Palestinians who have been detained amid Israel’s ongoing offensive on Gaza, which has resulted in extensive destruction and has displaced a significant portion of the region’s population. According to Palestinian health authorities, nearly 28,000 individuals have lost their lives in the conflict.

Israel claims its military actions target the militant group Hamas, which launched an attack on October 7, resulting in the deaths of 1,200 people and the taking of over 250 hostages, according to Israeli figures.

Israeli forces have gained control of various parts of northern and central Gaza, urging civilians to evacuate early in the conflict. The military asserts it has eliminated approximately 10,000 Hamas fighters, a figure disputed by the group.

On December 14, Israeli forces entered the Omar Ibn al-Aas school in Gaza City’s Sheikh Radwan neighborhood, where Aswad was sheltering. They gathered the men and ordered them to remove their clothing before taking the women aside, as she described.

Captives were then taken to a nearby mosque, where Aswad stated she was interrogated about her affiliations. She insisted she was merely a housewife with no intent to harm anyone. In response, she was told, "You are a threat to Israel’s security. You will be detained for five years," before being handcuffed, blindfolded, and transported with other detainees.

During the transport, Aswad claimed that soldiers insulted the detainees and required them to keep their heads lowered, threatening physical punishment for anyone who disobeyed. She described the initial holding facility as "bitterly cold" before being moved to Damon Prison in Haifa, where she was restrained and blindfolded.

Israel has not disclosed the total number of individuals it has detained during the Gaza operations, but human rights groups estimate the figure to be in the thousands.

Aswad described a dismal environment where speaking or raising one’s head was forbidden, even in discomfort. She recounted an incident where soldiers forced her to approach a wall displaying an Israeli flag, demanding she kiss it. When she refused, the soldier allegedly struck her head against the wall.

While allegations of mistreatment remain unverified, Aswad eventually reported that a soldier told the group that "all the women of Gaza will return to their homes." She expressed immense joy upon her release, but noted that her happiness was overshadowed by the uncertainty of her family’s fate. Currently in Rafah, she believes her husband and children are still in Gaza City, which has seen some of the conflict’s fiercest fighting.

"God willing, we will reach each other," she said.