Mahmoud Abu Foul has returned to Gaza after spending over nine months in Israeli detention, but his homecoming was marred by his loss of eyesight due to alleged beatings and torture suffered at an infamous Israeli military prison. The 28-year-old Palestinian, who had previously lost his left leg in a 2015 Israeli airstrike, expressed his desire to regain even partial vision as he reunited with his family in Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza.
Abu Foul was apprehended by the Israel Defence Forces in December 2024 while receiving medical care for his amputated leg at Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza. Following his release as part of a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, he joined over 1,700 other Palestinian detainees freed from Israeli custody, reuniting with his mother in Khan Younis.
Despite facing challenges since the war in 2023, Abu Foul stated that losing his eyesight was the most devastating experience. Accused of terrorism and subjected to alleged abuse during his incarceration at Sde Teiman in southern Israel, he highlighted the severe beatings, humiliation tactics, and lack of medical care that led to his current condition.
Abu Foul’s harrowing account aligns with reports of systematic abuse and torture of Palestinian prisoners by Israeli authorities, as documented by human rights groups and the UN. His hope now lies in seeking medical assistance abroad to potentially restore his eyesight and alleviate the physical and emotional toll of his ordeal.
