Mahmoud Abu Foul has returned to Gaza after spending over nine months in Israeli custody. Upon his return, amidst a crowd welcoming released detainees, he couldn’t locate his family as he had lost his eyesight during his imprisonment. The 28-year-old Palestinian, who had previously lost his left leg in a 2015 Israeli airstrike, recounted enduring beatings and torture at a well-known Israeli military prison, resulting in his blindness.
Abu Foul expressed his desire to regain even partial vision upon leaving prison, now residing with his mother in Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza. He was apprehended by the Israel Defence Forces at Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza on December 27, 2024, while receiving treatment for his amputated leg sustained in an airstrike a decade earlier in Jabalia.
As part of the recent ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, Abu Foul was among over 1,700 Palestinian detainees released by Israel. He mentioned the bittersweet experience of returning to his homeland without the ability to see, despite the relief of being back in his country.
His mother, Umm Ahed Abu Foul, shared her shock upon seeing her son blind at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis after his release. She remembered him as a vibrant individual before the ordeal, now deeply saddened by his condition. Abu Foul detailed his ordeal in Israeli custody, including false accusations of terrorism, physical abuse, and the harsh conditions at Sde Teiman in southern Israel.
The Israeli military has denied allegations of systematic abuse in its detention facilities. Abu Foul described the severe treatment he endured, which resulted in his loss of vision. He expressed his longing to witness his surroundings and loved ones, emphasizing the emotional toll of his blindness.
Despite the challenges he faced post-imprisonment, Abu Foul remains hopeful about seeking medical treatment abroad to potentially restore his eyesight.
