Abdullah Adel Al-Assar spent long periods in solitary confinement, in a two-by-one meter cell, where he had to eat, drink, sleep and relieve himself in the same cramped space, often without any hygiene equipment. For four months, he was handcuffed so tightly that his wrists hurt – even when he went to the toilet. He once lost consciousness for 24 hours without receiving any medical attention.
In Gaza, joy and pain are inseparable. People are unable to fully celebrate the return of their loved ones because the price of freedom has become unbearable, and the bloodshed is shocking. In this complicated reality, Abdullah Adel Al-Assar, 32, a father of two who lives in Khan Younis, on “Qubba Mosque” street, has been released from Israeli prisons after 20 months of captivity.
Abdullah says he was arrested on November 18, 2023, at a checkpoint between Al-Amal and Muwassi, in Khan Younis, while trying to escape from northern Gaza to the south. Soldiers identified him through retinal recognition and arrested him. He was initially held in detention centers, where he spent about 48 hours in inhumane conditions: handcuffed and blindfolded, forced to lie on cold sand, beaten, and deprived of water and food. On December 22, 2023, Abdullah was transferred to Ofer prison, where he remained for 20 months and was subjected to constant investigative questioning. He was accused of having links to the events of October 7, although he reiterated that he was not part of any armed group, that he had spent most of his life in Egypt and had only recently returned to Gaza to work in a local bakery.
His account reveals systematic physical and psychological suffering. He spent long periods in solitary confinement, in a two-by-one meter cell, where he had to eat, drink, sleep and relieve himself in the same cramped space, often without any hygiene equipment. For four months, he remained with his hands cuffed so tightly that he injured his wrists – even when he went to the toilet. Once he lost consciousness for 24 hours without receiving any medical help.
Hygienic conditions were minimal: prisoners were not allowed to bathe or shave regularly; they were often forced to wear the same clothes for days, even their underwear. Parasites and skin diseases spread freely, while medical care was absent for long periods. He was subjected to constant verbal abuse and exposed to loud noises and psychological threats aimed at forcing him to confess. This left him mentally devastated and physically devastated.
Throughout his imprisonment, Abdullah had no contact with the outside world and knew nothing about the fate of his family. He says he feared they had been killed or had fled the country, and only later learned that his house had been destroyed and his mother had died. Because of the detention, he was unable to attend her funeral. Despite the ordeal, Abdullah appeared in court four times during his imprisonment, and each time his sentence was extended by an additional six months, based on an unclear legal clause that was never explained to him.
His wife, Ola Allab, 29, describes the endless anxiety during her husband’s captivity: “I spent countless nights praying that he was still alive. Our house was destroyed, but I kept hoping that he would come back, so that we could rebuild it and live as a family again.”
Abdullah’s uncle, Adnan, 28, also traumatized by the war, adds: “I am happy that my nephew has been released, but it is a bittersweet happiness. A lot of blood has been shed! His release shows the strength and resilience of our people.” Even today, Abdullah can barely find his bearings: “I am free, but it seems like life has no direction. I have no dreams or ambitions left. After all this prolonged suffering, it doesn’t seem like there is a future,” he says.
