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Israel Releases 55 Palestinians it Had Detained from Gaza, Including Hospital Director

A Palestinian man holds his children as he walks next to buildings destroyed in an Israeli strike, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, in Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip, June 30, 2024. REUTERS/Mohammed Salem
A Palestinian man holds his children as he walks next to buildings destroyed in an Israeli strike, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, in Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip, June 30, 2024. REUTERS/Mohammed Salem
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Israel Releases 55 Palestinians it Had Detained from Gaza, Including Hospital Director

A Palestinian man holds his children as he walks next to buildings destroyed in an Israeli strike, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, in Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip, June 30, 2024. REUTERS/Mohammed Salem
A Palestinian man holds his children as he walks next to buildings destroyed in an Israeli strike, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, in Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip, June 30, 2024. REUTERS/Mohammed Salem

A Palestinian health official says Israel released 55 Palestinians on Monday whom it had detained from Gaza, including the director of the territory’s main hospital, The Associated Press said.
Mohammed Abu Selmia was detained in November when Israeli forces raided Shifa Hospital.
In video comments aired by Palestinian media following his release, Abu Selmia accused Israeli authorities of subjecting Palestinian detainees to "daily physical and psychological humiliation.” Israeli authorities have denied such allegations.
Israel accuses Hamas and other militant groups of sheltering in hospitals and using them for military purposes. Palestinian health officials say Israeli raids have forced several hospitals to shut down or dramatically reduce services, recklessly endangering civilians. Hospitals can lose their protection under international law if they are used for military purposes.
The Israeli military says around 20 projectiles were fired from Gaza at communities near the border early Monday. There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage.
Israel launched the war after Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack, in which militants stormed into southern Israel, killed some 1,200 people — mostly civilians — and abducted about 250.
Since then, Israeli ground offensives and bombardments have killed more than 37,700 people in Gaza, according to the territory's Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between combatants and civilians in its count.
The war has largely cut off the flow of food, medicine and basic goods to Gaza, and people there are now totally dependent on aid.
The top United Nations court has concluded there is a “plausible risk of genocide” in Gaza — a charge Israel strongly denies.

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Arab World

Sudanese Army Airstrikes Kill Dozens in Darfur

Smoke rises in the sky over Khartoum following armed clashes that left dozens dead and injured (AFP)
Smoke rises in the sky over Khartoum following armed clashes that left dozens dead and injured (AFP)
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Sudanese Army Airstrikes Kill Dozens in Darfur

Smoke rises in the sky over Khartoum following armed clashes that left dozens dead and injured (AFP)
Smoke rises in the sky over Khartoum following armed clashes that left dozens dead and injured (AFP)

More than 60 people have been killed and over 250 injured in airstrikes by the Sudanese military on the town of Kouma in North Darfur. This incident is being described by observers as one of the “largest massacres” of civilians since the conflict began.

Dozens more have died in separate attacks targeting the areas of Meilit, Wad Abu Saleh, and Um Duwain in Khartoum, with increasing calls for a ban on military flights by the Sudanese army.

Witnesses told Asharq Al-Awsat that the military targeted Kouma’s market on Friday morning, dropping explosive barrels that caused widespread destruction. Many victims were shopping at the bustling “Friday market,” and the death toll is expected to rise due to a lack of medical care for the injured.

The attacks are viewed as deliberate assaults on civilians, particularly since there were no Rapid Support Forces (RSF) present in the crowded market. Eyewitnesses described the scene as chaotic, with bodies scattered throughout the area.

In Meilit, airstrikes also targeted a wedding celebration, killing about 13 people and injuring others. Activists and eyewitnesses deny the presence of the RSF in these locations, despite military claims that air operations are directed at them.

Political and human rights groups have condemned the escalating airstrikes and called for an immediate ban on military flights in Darfur.

The Civil Democratic Forces Coordination (Tagadum) stated that the Kouma market attack was a severe violation against civilians, resulting in numerous deaths and injuries.

The group expressed concern about ongoing violations against civilians in Sudan and highlighted the need for international attention to protect innocent lives. They urged the warring parties to cease hostilities and engage in negotiations to end the conflict.