Gaza Workers Alleging Abuse and Beatings by Israeli Authorities After Expulsion

Palestinian workers expelled from Israel last week have made severe allegations of torture against Israeli authorities. They claim to have been subjected to acts such as being stripped naked, confined in cages, mercilessly beaten, and even receiving electric shocks. Muqbel Abdullah Al Radia, one of the workers, shared with CNN that they were broken and beaten with batons and metal sticks, enduring humiliation and starvation without access to food or water.

CNN interviewed Abdullah Al Radia and eight other men who returned to Gaza via the Kerem Shalom crossing in southern Israel on Friday. Al Radia, originally from Beit Lahiya, a village in northern Gaza, mentioned to CNN that he was employed in Israel, along with thousands of other Palestinians from Gaza who have permits to work there, when the conflict began.

The majority of workers from Gaza are employed in construction or agriculture. They typically stay away from home for long periods rather than commuting, which explains why a considerable number of them were in Israel when Hamas initiated its terror attack on October 7th.

Al Radia stated that as soon as the war commenced, he and several other Gazan laborers escaped to Rahat, a primarily Arab Bedouin city in southern Israel. He claims that the local residents handed them over to the Israeli army. He further explained that the military confiscated their phones and money, preventing them from contacting their families. Additionally, they were provided with food placed on the ground inside plastic bags.

Israeli media initially reported concerns that Hamas militants were among the workers with permits when the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel occurred. However, a security official later confirmed to CNN that the detained men were actually held for being in Israel without authorization after their work permits were revoked, and not due to suspicions of terrorist activity. The official further explained that in certain instances, their detention was also to protect them from potential violence from Israeli communities.

Six Israeli human rights organizations have submitted a petition to Israel's High Court, contending that these detentions were conducted "unlawfully and unjustifiably."

Gisha, a non-profit organization in Israel dedicated to safeguarding the freedom of movement for Palestinians, is one of the groups supporting the petition. In a recent statement, Gisha expressed concerns about the appalling conditions in these facilities and revealed evidence of severe physical and psychological abuse inflicted upon the detainees. Additionally, they highlighted the inhumane treatment and living conditions endured by the detainees.

Mahmoud Abu Darabeh was among the Gazan workers returned to the enclave on Friday.

According to the Palestinian Prisoners Society, a human rights organization situated in the occupied West Bank, numerous workers claim to have been unaware of their whereabouts. They were reportedly held in two detention centers: one in Ofer near Ramallah and another in Salem near Jenin.

The Israeli authorities subjected the men to daily interrogations inquiring about their homes and families, according to Abu Darabeh. He revealed that individuals who were related to Hamas police officers were subjected to physical abuse. Shockingly, he shared instances where people had suffered broken ribs or even died due to torture.

Abu Darabeh mentioned that several workers lost their lives both while in detention and while attempting to cross into Gaza.

"Some individuals succumbed to injuries sustained from beatings and electric shocks during their journey," Abu Darabeh disclosed. He further stated that he personally witnessed fellow detainees experiencing similar electric shocks.

According to a security official from Israel, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) are informed about instances of mistreatment of workers from Gaza by IDF soldiers. The official stated that these cases, which occurred outside of the designated detention facilities, were taken seriously and handled with disciplinary actions. They reported that, to their understanding, four soldiers were dismissed from the IDF as a result of such incidents, and two soldiers were confined to military prison due to their behavior.

The official stated that although two detainees, who were Gazan workers, had died while in custody, it was due to pre-existing chronic health conditions they had prior to entering Israel. The official clarified that, to the best of his knowledge, electric shocks were not among the abusive actions reported.

On November 3, 2023, Palestinian workers who had been present in Israel during the Hamas attacks on October 7 returned to the southern Gaza Strip through the Rafah border after being repatriated by Israel.

CNN has examined several videos that depict alleged instances of abuse, although their authenticity cannot be verified independently. These videos portray individuals who have been apprehended, their hands and feet bound, forced to sit under the scorching sun, and subjected to physical assault by being kicked and dragged. Furthermore, one particular video exhibits a bus carrying a group of individuals who have been blindfolded, with their hands tightly restrained.

The IDF is investigating the videos and has confirmed that two of them, one showing IDF soldiers kicking a detained person and another showing a large group of detainees tied, blindfolded, and humiliated, are authentic. A security official, who spoke to CNN, stated that the soldiers involved in the videos have been punished by the IDF. In an emailed statement to CNN, the IDF expressed their disapproval of the behavior captured in the footage, stating that it is unacceptable and goes against their orders. Additionally, the IDF mentioned that some soldiers and reserve soldiers seen in the videos have been suspended.

They tied our arms, blindfolded us

The interviewed individuals, who CNN had conversations with, were part of a large group of workers from the Gaza Strip. They were employed in Israel with official permits at the time when Hamas initiated a violent and ruthless terrorist assault on the country. This horrific incident resulted in the loss of lives for approximately 1,400 individuals and the abduction of around 240 people.

In retaliation to the attacks, Israel initiated a relentless bombardment of Gaza, as the country's defense minister Yoav Gallant commanded a "complete siege" on the enclave.

An elderly Palestinian woman, displaced from her home, stands at the entrance of her temporary dwelling alongside her grandchildren. They are residing in tents located in the Japanese neighborhood within the city of Khan Yunis. This photograph was taken on October 29, 2023, and is credited to Loay Ayyoub from The Washington Post/Getty Images.

In Gaza, motherhood becomes a question of survival.

Prior to the October 7 assaults, approximately 18,000 individuals in Gaza possessed permits enabling them to travel to Israel for employment, where salaries can reach up to ten times higher than those in Gaza.

All of them would have undergone a thorough security clearance process carried out by Israeli authorities prior to obtaining the permit. Israel also promptly revoked the permits of the Gazan workers following the attack, rendering it unlawful for them to remain within the country. As returning to Gaza was not an option, numerous individuals attempted to escape to the occupied West Bank.

"Our permissions were suspended, and when we tried to go to the West Bank, we were detained and placed in unfamiliar locations," one worker informed CNN. He continued, "They bound our arms, covered our eyes, and transported us in buses. They would gather 200 to 300 of us between metal fences, subjecting us to constant beatings and interrogations day and night." According to an anonymous man in the group, several workers were subjected to prolonged periods of being blindfolded and handcuffed. Additionally, they were kept in an outdoor area enclosed by fences, making it scorching hot during the day and freezing cold during the night, as described by some of the workers interviewed by CNN.

The security official mentioned that initially, certain facilities lacked shade, but this issue was addressed within a few days. The official assured that detainees were only restricted during transportation.

Palestinian workers deported by Israel make their return to the Gaza Strip in Rafah, Gaza, on November 3, 2023.

Mohammed Zaanoun/Middle East Images/AFP/Getty Images

Upon entering Gaza on Friday, numerous men displayed profound emotions. When questioned by CNN, the majority refrained from divulging personal information, fearing potential persecution.

A resident of the Al-Maghazi refugee camp broke down in tears as he recounted the distressing experience of being confined in metal cages and subjected to sleep deprivation, a well-documented method of torture.

A separate laborer residing in Al-Zaytun Quarter within Gaza City disclosed to CNN that he and fellow captives were subjected to a repetitive cycle of rising and sitting.

"They beat us and stole our money, and they took our clothes off and kept us naked,

I was only in my underwear for more than 20 days," he said.

Dehumanization and insults

Amani Sarahneh, spokesperson for the Palestinian Prisoners Society, said some of these men were detained on the way to the West Bank while some were detained in the West Bank.

The men attempted to enter the occupied West Bank in their quest to reach their destination. However, their permits were revoked by Israel, leaving them in a legal gray area. Their presence in Israel became unauthorized, yet the closure of border crossings by both Israel and Egypt posed a significant hindrance to their return to Gaza. Although they still required permits for the West Bank, they believed it to be a safer option due to its Palestinian governance.

A man walks between the bodies of people killed by Israeli bombardment in Deir Balah, central Gaza, on Monday.

Mahmud Hams/AFP/Getty Images

According to the Hamas-controlled health ministry, over 10,000 individuals have been killed in Gaza, as criticism of Israel's campaign continues to escalate. Sarahneh informed CNN that despite multiple efforts to obtain information from Israeli authorities, their organization remains unaware of the exact number of men currently detained.

Sarahneh informed CNN that numerous workers shared similar accounts, describing instances of starvation, consistent physical abuse, handcuffing, and isolation from their environment. Furthermore, she highlighted the existence of online videos depicting the violent and inhumane treatment of Palestinian prisoners.

"They were not charged with any wrongdoing, yet they endured interrogations, systematic torture, abuse, brutal beatings, and various forms of dehumanization and insults," she stated. Dror Sadot, a spokesperson for BTselem, the Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories, an NGO, stated that the Hamas attacks on October 7 have resulted in a significant increase in aggression towards Palestinians.

She stated to CNN that the dehumanization of Palestinians stems from high-ranking officials, who choose to refer to them as something other than human beings. She expressed her concern that this type of rhetoric, coupled with the anger surrounding Hamas' actions, ultimately influences individual soldiers to treat Palestinians with deep-seated anger.

Sadot stated that the IDF's approach to addressing cases of abuse lacks credibility due to their long-standing experience.

Mohamed Atallah shows a list of his possessions he says were confiscated and not returned by Israeli authorities.

CNN

Exhausted and injured, but overjoyed to be back

CNN captured footage of workers crossing into Gaza for the very first time on Friday. The video depicts numerous men making their way into the enclave on foot. Among them are elderly individuals who are clearly fatigued and soaked in sweat, while others seem to have sustained injuries.

At least three individuals exhibit deep, prominently visible wounds on their wrists that seem to have been inflicted by restraints.

The majority of the men do not possess any personal possessions aside from the garments adorning their bodies.

One man, 58-year-old Mohamed Atallah, was wearing a plastic number tag on his wrist.

He showed CNN a prison inventory of his confiscated belongings which he said were never returned.

Several workers who returned to Gaza on Friday informed CNN that they were transported by Israeli authorities on buses to the crossing into Gaza, where they were left behind. Subsequently, they were compelled to walk for approximately three hours to reach the enclave, as mentioned by multiple individuals.

Upon reaching the Gaza Strip, several workers immediately dropped to their knees, engaging in prayer as depicted in the CNN footage. They humbly bowed their heads to the ground, expressing gratitude for their safe return to a location that had transformed into a living nightmare during their absence.