TEL AVIV: Israeli authorities have released 114 Palestinians, including four women, who were detained by the Israeli army during their recent offensive on Gaza.
A Palestinian official with the Gaza crossing authorities said that the Palestinians were released through the Karem Abu Salem commercial crossing, also known as the Kerem Shalom crossing, in southern Gaza.
Ten of the released people, including a woman, were transferred to a hospital in Rafah city due to health conditions.
They suffered severe bone fractures, particularly in their hands and legs, as an apparent result of being beaten in custody by Israeli forces, a medical source said.
Some had blood clots on their necks and heads, while others suffered difficulty in breathing, wounds and scratches, and swelling in their hands, said the source.
Meanwhile, the UN aid agency for Palestinian refugees has said that international funding cuts may force the shutdown of its operations across the region “by the end of February”.
UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini said that “if the funding remains suspended, we will most likely be forced to shut down our operations by end of February not only in Gaza but also across the region”.
Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said after talks with Lazzarini that he “emphasised the immediate need for the international community to support UNRWA, which plays an indispensable role for Palestinian refugees, serving as a lifeline for over two million Palestinians facing an unprecedented humanitarian crisis in Gaza”.
