Israeli political uproar after the release of Al Shifa Hospital director

Shin Bet says the release of Mohammad Abu Salamiya is a result of the government's unpreparedness for a massive increase in Palestinian detainees

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has tried to distance himself from the release. Reuters

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Israeli politicians across the spectrum have criticised on Monday the release of the director of Gaza’s Al Shifa Hospital, in which some Israeli hostages were reportedly held after the October 7 attacks.

Mohammad Abu Salmiya, who was arrested by the Israeli military in November, was released along with 55 other Palestinian detainees, according to Palestinian media. After his release, he told media in Gaza that he was tortured and deprived of food while in Israeli prisons.

The move was described as a risk to national security, an insult to hostages and their families and a sign that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is abandoning the captives, an accusation that has become a rallying call for the opposition and civil society in recent months.

Opposition leader Yair Lapid said the decision was a “direct continuation of the recklessness and dysfunction of [Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s] government”.

Benny Gantz, who last month left a senior position in a unity government formed by Mr Netanyahu after the war broke out, said the decision was a “moral and ethical error” and called for national elections.

Palestinian doctor Mohammad Abu Salmiya, the director of Al Shifa Hospital who was detained by Israeli forces, has been released from an Israeli jail. Reuters

The release of Mr Abu Salamiya also created chaos within the government, as ministers tried to distance themselves from the move, including the prime minister, whose office said “the decision to release the prisoners followed discussions at the High Court”.

The office of Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said: “The procedure for incarcerating security prisoners and their release is under [internal security agency] the Shin Bet and the Israel Prison Service, and is not subject to the approval of the defence minister.”

Israel’s Kan news channel published leaked WhatsApp messages in which far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir called for the dismissal of the chief of the Shin Bet, Ronen Bar.

Interior Minister Moshe Arbel hit back, asking whether Mr Ben-Gvir would take any “responsibility in this matter”.

The Shin Bet accused Mr Ben-Gvir of significant responsibility in the scandal, saying he failed to respond to repeated calls by the agency to address a major shortage of prison cells that has been exacerbated by mass detentions in the Gaza War.

“The ISA was opposed to the release of Palestinian detainees from [the Occupied West Bank], who pose immediate danger, and of Hamas Nukhba terrorists who were involved in the fighting and harm to Israeli civilians,” it said.

Al Shifa used to be Gaza's largest hospital. AFP

“Therefore, due to the national need, as set by the National Security Council, a decision was made to release several detainees from Gaza, who pose less severe danger, after a wide risk assessment among all detainees,” it added.

“With no other choice, and without an immediate solution to the shortage in detention spaces, arrests will keep getting cancelled and detainees will keep getting released.”

Israel’s military launched assaults on Al Shifa on a number of occasions throughout the war, saying that it was a centre of Hamas operations.

The targeting of Al Shifa, which now lies in ruins, has led to accusations against Israel of war crimes. Operations there dealt a major blow to Gaza’s health system that has largely collapsed amid massive pressure put on it by the war, which has so far killed about 3,800 and injured more than 87,000 Gazans.

Israel and the US have said on a number of occasions that Hamas and other Palestinian militant groups used the hospital as a base and that Israeli hostages were at points held there.

Hamas has denied the accusations.