For more than two decades in an Israeli prison, Palestinian Youssef Mikdad dreamed of returning to a prospering Gaza and making up for lost time with his children. When he tasted freedom last week, he found his house razed and his homeland reduced to rubble.

Sderot

The U.S brokered ceasefire deal in Gaza is holding, after Hamas agreed to release all remaining Israeli hostages.

Middle East Conflict

For over two decades, Palestinian Youssef Mikdad held onto dreams of returning to a prospering Gaza and reconnecting with his children while serving time in an Israeli prison. However, upon his release, he faced a harsh reality: his home had been razed, and his homeland was in ruins due to Israeli bombardments. Walking through devastated neighborhoods, Mikdad encountered many Palestinians, repeatedly displaced, now living in tents on the beach due to the ongoing conflict.

His devastating personal losses included the death of his daughter Haya, one of more than 38,000 Palestinians killed since the war began. Haya, along with her four children and husband, was killed in an Israeli airstrike in March. Mikdad, imprisoned during their deaths, described receiving the news as a shocking and painful blow.

Mikdad was detained by Israeli forces from his home in 2002, convicted of being a member of the Fatah faction's armed wing, Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, and incarcerated in various Israeli prisons. He recounted that prison conditions worsened significantly after Hamas's attack on southern Israel, leading to increased mistreatment, hunger, and abuse of prisoners. Widespread reports of detainee mistreatment have amplified international pressure on Israel regarding its conduct in the ongoing Gaza conflict. In May, the US State Department announced it was investigating allegations of Israeli abuse of Palestinian detainees. The Israeli military has not yet responded to requests for comment on prison conditions.



For ex-prisoner, return to ruined Gaza brings anguish

Palestinian Yousef Mekdad spent more than two decades in an Israeli jail, where he dreamed of returning one day to a prosperous Gaza Strip where he could make up for lost time with his children. Released last week, he found his house destroyed and his homeland reduced to rubble by Israeli bombardments. He walked through neighbourhoods laid waste by air and artillery strikes, and found Palestinians displaced many times over by the Israeli offensive living in tents on the beach. I was surprised by all the destruction I've seen, with the displacement of people, no one is living in their houses, the famine I've seen in the country, none of the basic life necessities are available in Gaza at all. I haven't travelled around because I can't, there's no car, no gas, and people can't even walk. People can't walk for half a kilometre without falling into despair over the suffering they see. Mekdad's daughter Haya, his favourite child he says, was just four when he was imprisoned. She was killed by an Israeli airstrike on Gaza City in March, one of more than 38,000 Palestinians killed in Gaza since the start of the war. I didn't see her as a bride when she got married, but I longed to see her with her children. I was surprised during Ramadan I got the news while in prison that she was martyred, along with her four children and husband. It was such a shock for me, like a bolt of lightning from the sky. Mekdad was seized by Israeli forces from his house in a Gaza City suburb during a raid in 2002. He was convicted of being a member of Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, the armed wing of the Fatah faction and served time in several Israeli prisons. He said the atmosphere inside changed radically after Hamas attacked southern Israel last October 7th, killing 1,200 people and taking about 250 hostages. Prisoners were tortured, went hungry and were humiliated, he said. Widespread reports of mistreatment of detainees in Israeli prisons have added to international pressure on Israel for its conduct of the Gaza war, now in its 10th month. In May, the US State Department said it was looking into allegations of Israeli abuse of Palestinian detainees. The Israeli military did not immediately respond to a request for comment about prison conditions.

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