1600 Palestinians jailed by Israel in October — Ambassador alleges

In the past month, the Israeli government has reportedly detained over 1600 Palestinians, as disclosed by the Palestinian Ambassador to Nigeria, Abdallah Abu Shawesh.

During a press briefing held in Abuja, the ambassador addressed the Israeli military’s actions in Gaza and called for the release of Palestinian children who are currently held in Israeli prisons.

The situation in Gaza has been marked by heavy bombardment by Israel since October 7, following an incursion by Hamas gunmen.

This offensive has resulted in the deaths of approximately 1,400 people, predominantly civilians, and the abduction of at least 240 individuals, including children, according to Israeli authorities.

Ambassador Abu Shawesh conveyed Palestine’s willingness to release all Israeli hostages if Israel reciprocates by releasing the jailed Palestinians.

He expressed concerns about the continuous arrests, alleged torture, and detention of Palestinians, emphasizing the lack of freedom to use social media to communicate their experiences.

The ambassador stressed the urgent need for a ceasefire in the region.

He cited the devastating human toll, with more than 8700 Palestinian fatalities in Gaza and 114 in the occupied West Bank. A significant majority of these casualties are reported to be children, women, and the elderly.

The number of injured individuals has exceeded 20,000 in Gaza and 2000 in the West Bank, with an estimated 1,500 people still missing under the rubble.

The dire conditions in overcrowded shelter centers have led to the outbreak of various infectious diseases, including smallpox, scabies, and diarrhea, due to limited access to fresh water and hygiene.

Moreover, Ambassador Abu Shawesh highlighted the extensive damage to housing units, with over 150,000 homes rendered uninhabitable as a result of Israeli airstrikes. This has forced 1.4 million civilians in Gaza to become internally displaced.

The ambassador alleged that the primary objective of the conflict was to forcibly relocate the Palestinian population to Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula.