The Israeli authorities released the Palestinian Authority’s former Minister of Prisoners, Wasfi Kabha, on Thursday. Hailing from the northern West Bank city of Jenin, Kabha has spent 10 months in prison, the Ahrar Centre for Prisoners and Human Rights reported.
“Kabha arrived home after he was released at Jubara checkpoint near Tulkarem,” said Ahrar in a statement. He was arrested on 15 June last year after the kidnapping and murder of three settlers in Hebron; he was then held under administrative detention.
It is alleged that Kabha was assaulted whilst in Israeli custody being transferred to Megiddo jail. He was placed in solitary confinement in Hadarim before being sentenced to 10 months in prison.
The former minister served in the Hamas-led government elected in 2006 and is one of the most prominent leaders of the Islamic movement in the West Bank.
According to Ahrar Centre, Israel is holding 450 Palestinians in administrative detention. They are held without trial for a period ranging from one to six months, and the detention is renewable. Israel uses the measure as a means to hold prisoners for prolonged periods without trial under the pretext of national security.