Fifty-five healthcare workers from Gaza are listed among the Palestinians released from Israeli detention today as part of the exchange deal. While not all releases are confirmed yet, the list includes 24 nurses, 7 doctors, and 2 paramedics. Fourty-four of the healthcare workers listed were abducted by the Israeli Occupation Forces from the hospitals where they were working and they have spent between nine and 22 months illegally imprisoned in Israeli detention and torture facilities. Dr Ahmed Mhanna, the Director of Al-Awda Hospital, was not on the list but has also been released today.

While their release is warmly welcomed, there are at least 115 more Gazan healthcare workers who are still being held in Israeli detention. These include at least 20 doctors, of whom 15 are irreplaceable senior specialists. In the past two years, the Israeli Occupation Forces have unlawfully detained over 409 Palestinian healthcare workers from both Gaza and the West Bank. Testimonies from released healthcare workers and other Palestinians describe the horrific conditions inside the detention facilities where brutality and torture are rife[1]. Five healthcare workers have been killed while in detention.