Israel releases 10 Palestinians detained from Gaza. They say they suffered abuse

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Ten Palestinians detained from Gaza by Israeli troops were freed and returned to the territory on Thursday, saying they had suffered constant abuse while imprisoned.

Israel has detained thousands of Palestinians since it launched its military campaign in Gaza in retaliation for Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel. It has done periodic releases of detainees throughout the war, though this was the first since it restarted the war in mid-March, breaking a ceasefire with the militant Hamas group.

The 10 men, all dressed in grey sweatpants and shirts, were brought by bus to a hospital in the central Gaza town of Deir al-Balah, where they were welcomed by family members.

They had all been detained from the northern Gaza Strip during Israel’s last offensive there before the January ceasefire. They said they had been held at least part of the time in Sde Teiman, a military prison camp that has become notorious for abuses of Gaza detainees.

One of the freed men, Fayez Ayoub, looked gaunt and walked with difficulty, supported by another man.

“I swear, Dad, every moment we waited for you to be released,” his daughter Marah Ayoub told him, crying. “Every time a prisoner was released, we went to him" to ask about her father.

“Torment, torment,” he told her.

Detained by Israeli troops on Nov. 6, he said “156 days have passed with us in agony. We are tortured and in pain.” He said detainees were abused every day and had little sleep. His daughter said he was seized by Israeli troops just after being released from Kamal Adwan hospital in northern Gaza after suffering fractures in his pelvis and spine from an airstrike.

“Was this how my father was? And Is this what he has become?" she said, referring to his appearance. “He wasn’t like this.”

Another man, Hani Abu Sharif, said they were frequently beaten, stripped to their underwear, and forced to stand barefoot on stones, causing their feet to bleed. They were only allowed to shower every month or two, he said.

There was no immediate comment by the military. The army and prison authorities have said they abide by the letter of the law in the treatment of prisoners and investigate violations.

But there have been widespread reports of abuse of Palestinian detainees in military prison camps and civilian prisons, including frequent beatings and lack of medical care and food. Five soldiers have been indicted for allegedly raping a detainee with a knife at Sde Teiman.

In March, a 17-year-old Palestinian died at Megiddo Prison, a civilian-run facility, and doctors said starvation was likely the main cause of death. The Palestinian Authority says at least 61 Palestinians have died in Israeli prisons since the war began.

Thousands of Palestinians continue to be held in Israeli detention, without charge or trial. Israel says it detains those it suspects of links to Hamas and does releases as it determines they are not connected to the militants. During the two-month ceasefire, Israel released hundreds of imprisoned Palestinians in return for the release of hostages held by militants in Gaza.

Freed Palestinian prisoner Naeim Al Burai, 66, is welcomed upon arrival at al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza Strip, after being released from an Israeli prison, Thursday, April 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)

Freed Palestinian prisoners upon arrival at al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza Strip, after being released from an Israeli prison, Thursday, April 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)

Freed Palestinian prisoner Jamal Zuweiri, 69, center, is welcomed upon arrival at al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza Strip, after being released from an Israeli prison, Thursday, April 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)

Palestinians receive humanitarian aid distributed by UNRWA, the U.N. agency helping Palestinian refugees in Jabaliya, Gaza Strip on Wednesday, April 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)

NEW YORK (AP) — Thousands of nurses in three hospital systems in New York City went on strike Monday after negotiations through the weekend failed to yield breakthroughs in their contract disputes.

The strike was taking place at The Mount Sinai Hospital and two of its satellite campuses, with picket lines forming. The other affected hospitals are NewYork-Presbyterian and Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx.

About 15,000 nurses are involved in the strike, according to New York State Nurses Association.

“After months of bargaining, management refused to make meaningful progress on core issues that nurses have been fighting for: safe staffing for patients, healthcare benefits for nurses, and workplace violence protections,” the union said in a statement issued Monday. “Management at the richest hospitals in New York City are threatening to discontinue or radically cut nurses’ health benefits.”

The strike, which comes during a severe flu season, could potentially force the hospitals to transfer patients, cancel procedures or divert ambulances. It could also put a strain on city hospitals not involved in the contract dispute, as patients avoid the medical centers hit by the strike.

The hospitals involved have been hiring temporary nurses to try and fill the labor gap during the walkout, and said in a statement during negotiations that they would “do whatever is necessary to minimize disruptions.” Montefiore posted a message assuring patients that appointments would be kept.

“NYSNA’s leaders continue to double down on their $3.6 billion in reckless demands, including nearly 40% wage increases, and their troubling proposals like demanding that a nurse not be terminated if found to be compromised by drugs or alcohol while on the job," Montefiore spokesperson Joe Solmonese said Monday after the strike had started. "We remain resolute in our commitment to providing safe and seamless care, regardless of how long the strike may last.”

New York-Presbyterian accused the union of staging a strike to “create disruption,” but said in a statement that it has taken steps to ensure patients receive the care they need.

"We’re ready to keep negotiating a fair and reasonable contract that reflects our respect for our nurses and the critical role they play, and also recognizes the challenging realities of today’s healthcare environment,” the statement said.

The work stoppage is occurring at multiple hospitals simultaneously, but each medical center is negotiating with the union independently. Several other hospitals across the city and in its suburbs reached deals in recent days to avert a possible strike.

The nurses’ demands vary by hospital, but the major issues include staffing levels and workplace safety. The union says hospitals have given nurses unmanageable workloads.

Nurses also want better security measures in the workplace, citing incidents like a an incident last week, when a man with a sharp object barricaded himself in a Brooklyn hospital room and was then killed by police.

The union also wants limitations on hospitals’ use of artificial intelligence.

The nonprofit hospitals involved in the negotiations say they’ve been working to improve staffing levels, but say the union’s demands overall are too costly.

Nurses voted to authorize the strike last month.

Both New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and Mayor Zohran Mamdani had expressed concern about the possibility of the strike. As the strike deadline neared, Mamdani urged both sides to keep negotiating and reach a deal that “both honors our nurses and keeps our hospitals open.”

“Our nurses kept this city alive through its hardest moments. Their value is not negotiable,” Mamdani said.

State Attorney General Letitia James voiced similar support, saying "nurses put their lives on the line every day to keep New Yorkers healthy. They should never be forced to choose between their own safety, their patients’ well-being, and a fair contract.”

The last major nursing strike in the city was only three years ago, in 2023. That work stoppage, at Mount Sinai and Montefiore, was short, lasting three days. It resulted in a deal raising pay 19% over three years at those hospitals.

It also led to promised staffing improvements, though the union and hospitals now disagree about how much progress has been made, or whether the hospitals are retreating from staffing guarantees.

Nurses strike outside Mount Sinai West Hospital, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Nurses strike outside Mount Sinai West Hospital, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Nurses strike outside Mount Sinai West Hospital, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Nurses strike outside Mount Sinai West Hospital, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

FILE - A medical worker transports a patient at Mount Sinai Hospital, April 1, 2020, in New York. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer, File)