There was widespread outrage among the Israeli public, including government ministers when Palestinian media reported on Monday morning that the director of Shifa Hospital, where hostages were held and even murdered, was released from Israeli prison, along with 54 other Gazan prisoners, and returned to Gaza.

Shifa Director Muhammed Abu Salmiya was arrested in November for carrying out “extensive terror activities for Hamas in the hospital under his management.”

The hospital served as a haven for terrorists, Israeli hostages were transferred there, and hostage Noa Marciano, H’yd, was murdered there.

Upon his release on Monday, Abu Salmiya immediately began inciting against Israel, claiming that Israel is starving prisoners. “The enemy is committing crimes against medical staff. Hundreds of doctors, nurses and technicians are imprisoned,” he said. He also posted a video encouraging “resistance” and called for the release of all prisoners from Israeli prisons, calling on human rights organizations worldwide to visit the prisoners and see their “tragic” conditions. “Prisoners have lost weight, at least 25 kilograms. Everyone is suffering,” he said.

According to reports, many detained terrorists have been quietly released and sent back to Gaza in recent months due to a lack of prison space in Israel.

Government ministers responded with outrage. Yisrael Beiteinu chairman Avigdor Leiberman stated: “We discovered that the director of Shifa is not a doctor – he’s Dr. Mengele – and the decision to release him is a moral outrage and abandonment of security.”

National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said: “Releasing the director of Shifa Hospital in Gaza along with dozens of other terrorists is a security breach. It’s time for the Prime Minister to stop Gallant and the head of the Shin Bet from conducting an independent policy contrary to the position of the Cabinet and the government.” Ben-Gvir also wrote in the government ministers’ Whatsapp group: “It’s time to send the Shin Bet chief home. He and Gallant do whatever they want.”

The Tikva Forum for Hostages’ Families stated: “While our loved ones are held captive by Hamas, Israel released a murderer and Hamas operative who directed Shifa Hospital – the one who hid Hamas terror nests, including weapons and bunkers, where Israeli hostages were murdered in front of his eyes. Instead of using him as a bargaining chip, Israel is releasing him together with dozens of other ‘uninvolved’ people. The decision is a moral outrage, a sign of the continuation of the ‘conceptiza’ before October 7th, and spits in the face of the hostages’ families.”

Muhammed Abu Salmiya after his release.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)