Israel releases 8 Palestinian women from jail

By Qais Abu Samra

RAMALLAH, Palestine (AA) - The Israeli authorities on Friday released eight Palestinian women from jail who had been detained in the Gaza Strip.

In a statement, the Palestinian Prisoner Society (PPS) reported that the Israeli authorities released detainees from the Karm Abu Salem crossing along with other Palestinians from Gaza.

It added that all eight Palestinian women were held in the Israeli Damon prison, located in northern Israel.

The statement also said that the number of Palestinian women detainees from Gaza held in the Damon prison is more than 50, with the eldest woman 82 years old and the youngest 15 years old.

It noted that the number of detained Palestinian women from Gaza is higher than the 50 in the Damon prison facility while the others are still held in unknown locations.

"The [Israeli] occupation continues to apply the crime of enforced disappearance against the [Palestinian women] detainees," the group said.

Israel has pounded Gaza since a cross-border attack by the Palestinian group Hamas on Oct. 7, killing at least 23,808 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and injuring 60,005 others, according to health authorities.

Around 1,200 Israelis are believed to have been killed in the Hamas offensive.

About 85% of Gazans have been displaced, while all of the population is food insecure, according to the UN. Hundreds of thousands of people are living without shelter, and ⁠less than half of the aid trucks are entering the territory than before the start of the conflict.

Writing by Ahmed Asmar