Dozens of Gaza Medical Workers Are Still Disappeared in Israeli Detention.
The wait was almost over. Maha Wafi had been holding onto hope for nearly two years, waiting for her husband Anis al-Astal to be released from Israeli detention after being arrested on December 2, 2023. On the night of October 12, her children and she could barely sleep as they anxiously awaited news that their loved one was finally coming home. However, when the next day arrived, nothing seemed different.
When dozens of detained Palestinians were freed, bringing hope to families waiting for years, a call came through from al-Astal's colleagues - he was nowhere to be found. "It was an indescribable feeling," Wafi recalled, her voice shaking with emotion as she described the moment her husband vanished into thin air.
Al-Astal is not alone. More than 400 Palestinian medical workers have been detained by Israeli authorities since October 7, 2023, according to Healthcare Workers Watch. Among them are at least 95 Palestinian medical workers, including al-Astal and another doctor, Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya. The group has documented the attacks on health care in Palestine, with more than 1,700 health workers killed.
These medical workers were detained for trying to save patients. They were taken from their ambulances while working or from hospitals. However, international humanitarian law is supposed to protect them. Instead, they are being held without charge in Israeli prisons.
The detentions have caused immense suffering and frustration among families of detainees, who struggle to access information about their loved ones. Maha Wafi has been searching for her husband, but the uncertainty has been unbearable.
When Anis al-Astal was finally set to be released, Wafi had planned to buy clothes and food for him. She even thought that he would look a bit different due to the two years of detention but now she was left with questions - what took place? Were they stopped?
The lack of information is compounded by Israeli authorities denying medical care to detainees in Sde Teiman prison, where al-Astal was held. 40 people were kept in a small room and received no showers or medical treatment. The harsh conditions have led to the deaths of dozens of Palestinians, including Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya.
The treatment of Palestinian detainees is a serious concern for human rights groups, with some describing it as torture. "In Sde Teiman, dozens of Palestinian detainees have died," said Naji Abbas, director of the Prisoners Department at Physicians for Human Rights Israel.
Anis al-Astal was detained after he and three colleagues were arrested while evacuating patients from hospitals in Gaza. He is one of thousands of Palestinians who have been arrested by Israeli forces since October 7, 2023.
The lack of medical care has also taken a toll on the mental health of detainees. Mhanna told The Intercept that his physical condition was visibly impacted during detention but the psychological abuse he suffered left him broken and demoralized. "Soldiers used intimidation and psychological abuse as part of daily routine treatment," he said.
When Anis al-Astal returned to Gaza, the landscape had changed dramatically. Everything was destroyed. Schools, universities, hospitals, and homes were gone. The thought of returning to this devastated place is overwhelming for Mhanna.
Maha Wafi's experience mirrors that of many Palestinian families. She waited for two years without knowing if her husband or any other detainee was alive or dead. Even now that Anis al-Astal has been released, she cannot taste the feeling of joy while his pillar of support remains with them.
The situation highlights how Israel continues to undermine the human rights of Palestinians in Gaza and the rest of Palestine. The detention and mistreatment of medical workers are examples of this policy. "This is not hyperbole," said Rebecca Inglis from Healthcare Workers Watch, who documented the attacks on health care in Palestine.
As for Mhanna, he knows that he has to forget the hard period he was through as a result of his incarceration.
The wait was almost over. Maha Wafi had been holding onto hope for nearly two years, waiting for her husband Anis al-Astal to be released from Israeli detention after being arrested on December 2, 2023. On the night of October 12, her children and she could barely sleep as they anxiously awaited news that their loved one was finally coming home. However, when the next day arrived, nothing seemed different.
When dozens of detained Palestinians were freed, bringing hope to families waiting for years, a call came through from al-Astal's colleagues - he was nowhere to be found. "It was an indescribable feeling," Wafi recalled, her voice shaking with emotion as she described the moment her husband vanished into thin air.
Al-Astal is not alone. More than 400 Palestinian medical workers have been detained by Israeli authorities since October 7, 2023, according to Healthcare Workers Watch. Among them are at least 95 Palestinian medical workers, including al-Astal and another doctor, Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya. The group has documented the attacks on health care in Palestine, with more than 1,700 health workers killed.
These medical workers were detained for trying to save patients. They were taken from their ambulances while working or from hospitals. However, international humanitarian law is supposed to protect them. Instead, they are being held without charge in Israeli prisons.
The detentions have caused immense suffering and frustration among families of detainees, who struggle to access information about their loved ones. Maha Wafi has been searching for her husband, but the uncertainty has been unbearable.
When Anis al-Astal was finally set to be released, Wafi had planned to buy clothes and food for him. She even thought that he would look a bit different due to the two years of detention but now she was left with questions - what took place? Were they stopped?
The lack of information is compounded by Israeli authorities denying medical care to detainees in Sde Teiman prison, where al-Astal was held. 40 people were kept in a small room and received no showers or medical treatment. The harsh conditions have led to the deaths of dozens of Palestinians, including Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya.
The treatment of Palestinian detainees is a serious concern for human rights groups, with some describing it as torture. "In Sde Teiman, dozens of Palestinian detainees have died," said Naji Abbas, director of the Prisoners Department at Physicians for Human Rights Israel.
Anis al-Astal was detained after he and three colleagues were arrested while evacuating patients from hospitals in Gaza. He is one of thousands of Palestinians who have been arrested by Israeli forces since October 7, 2023.
The lack of medical care has also taken a toll on the mental health of detainees. Mhanna told The Intercept that his physical condition was visibly impacted during detention but the psychological abuse he suffered left him broken and demoralized. "Soldiers used intimidation and psychological abuse as part of daily routine treatment," he said.
When Anis al-Astal returned to Gaza, the landscape had changed dramatically. Everything was destroyed. Schools, universities, hospitals, and homes were gone. The thought of returning to this devastated place is overwhelming for Mhanna.
Maha Wafi's experience mirrors that of many Palestinian families. She waited for two years without knowing if her husband or any other detainee was alive or dead. Even now that Anis al-Astal has been released, she cannot taste the feeling of joy while his pillar of support remains with them.
The situation highlights how Israel continues to undermine the human rights of Palestinians in Gaza and the rest of Palestine. The detention and mistreatment of medical workers are examples of this policy. "This is not hyperbole," said Rebecca Inglis from Healthcare Workers Watch, who documented the attacks on health care in Palestine.
As for Mhanna, he knows that he has to forget the hard period he was through as a result of his incarceration.
this is absolute madness! Israel's detention and mistreatment of Palestinian medical workers is a human rights catastrophe 
. I mean, can you imagine being arrested for trying to save patients? 
The conditions in Sde Teiman prison are straight out of a nightmare - no showers, no medical care... it's like they're intentionally trying to kill people 
.
. Families have been left in limbo for years, wondering if their loved ones are alive or dead. It's heartbreaking to think about Maha Wafi and her family's experience 
. And the psychological toll on detainees like Mhanna... it's just too much 
. The international community needs to step up and hold Israel accountable for its actions. We need better, more humane treatment of Palestinian detainees - now! 
this is so sad & frustrating... how can Israel just keep detainees without charge or basic human rights? 400 medical workers detained since Oct 7th?! 
what kind of world is this? 
It's heartbreaking to think about the suffering they went through, especially in that harsh Sde Teiman prison 
and its not like these ppl did anythin wrong 
it's all just so messed up 
i dont get why israeli authorities cant just release these medics already? like they are literally saving lives here and you guys keep locking them up without charge 
its not like they committed some major crime, they were doing their job, got it?