Israel has released 3,200 workers from Gaza back to the coastal enclave after they were arrested and stranded following the October 7 attacks. The past few weeks have been deeply traumatic for Zaki Salameh, a Gaza resident who was working as a builder in an Israeli town when war broke out on October 7. In the period following the unprecedented Hamas attack on Israeli army outposts and surrounding villages that day – and the relentless bombardment of the Gaza Strip by Israeli forces ever since – Salameh has been arrested, tortured, and interrogated.
Salameh is one of at least 18,500 residents of Gaza who had permits to work outside the enclave. He said he and other Palestinian workers from the Gaza Strip were arrested and tagged on October 8 before being taken to Ofer Prison on the outskirts of the occupied West Bank city of Ramallah. They were summoned for interrogation and tortured on what Salameh described as an electrical chair for several days. The workers were interrogated about the locations of Hamas tunnels, rocket launchers, and the movement of fighters in and around Gaza.
On Friday morning, the Israeli military said it had released 3,200 workers from Gaza back to the coastal enclave through the southern Karem Abu Salem – or Karem Shalom – crossing. This followed an Israeli government decision the previous night that these workers would not be granted work permits again. The Israeli government press office stated, “Israel is severing all contact with Gaza. There will be no more Palestinian workers from Gaza. Those workers from Gaza who were in Israel on the day of the outbreak of the war will be returned to Gaza.”
Gaza residents with permits allowing them to work outside the enclave were often laborers in construction, while others worked in restaurants and malls. The money they earned was a source of some respite after Israel’s 17-year blockade of the Gaza Strip has devastated the economy, resulting in an almost 50 percent unemployment rate. Those workers granted permits were approved after a strict security examination by Israeli intelligence and the Israeli army, ensuring they had no political affiliations in the Gaza Strip or connections with Palestinian armed groups.
However, as Israel began bombing the Gaza Strip, the Israeli army began expelling Gaza workers from their workplaces in Israeli cities. Thousands of workers, like Salameh, were arrested and taken to Ofer Prison. Some were held in other undisclosed locations with no communication with their families, while others were dumped at checkpoints in the occupied West Bank. Israeli human rights organizations, such as Gisha and HaMoked, have raised concerns about the illegal detention of the workers and have demanded information on their whereabouts.
The Israeli offensive has devastated the Gaza Strip, resulting in thousands of deaths and injuries. More than 45 percent of Gaza’s homes have been damaged or destroyed, and the infrastructure and main roads have been badly damaged. The release of the workers provides some relief for their families who have been sheltering in UN-run schools and facing uncertain conditions.
As the workers crossed into the Gaza Strip, expressions of fatigue and exhaustion were evident on their faces. However, the fate of thousands of other Gaza residents who worked in Israel remains unknown. Families anxiously await news of their loved ones who may still be detained or deported to other areas of the West Bank.
The situation highlights the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, as well as the impact on innocent Palestinian workers who were caught in the crossfire. The release of these workers is a small step towards addressing the human rights concerns raised by organizations advocating for their rights and well-being.
