Urgent Action Outcome: Palestinian Surgeon Khaled Al Serr Is Released

On 30 September 2024, Palestinian surgeon Khaled Al Serr was released from Israeli detention after spending more than six months without charges or trial, half of which was incommunicado detention, under the abusive Unlawful Combatants Law. Dr. Khaled Al Serr was arbitrarily detained by the Israeli military on 25 March 2024, along with other medical staff, from Nasser hospital in Khan Yunis in the occupied Gaza Strip.

NO FURTHER ACTION IS REQUESTED. MANY THANKS TO ALL WHO SENT APPEALS.

On 25 March, Dr. Khaled Al Serr, 32, was detained by the Israeli military, with several other medical staff, following a raid on Nasser hospital in Khan Younis in the southern occupied Gaza Strip. For over three months, his whereabouts remained unknown with Israeli authorities holding him under conditions that amount to enforced disappearance. On 4 July 2024 his whereabouts were disclosed by the Israeli military following a locating request by Hamoked. On 23 July 2024, he was allowed his first and only visit by his lawyer, who was made available by Physicians for Human Rights Israel.

Upon his arrest, Dr. Khaled Al Serr and other detainees were held in a civilian house inside Gaza for five days where he reported facing torture. He was then transferred to Sde Teiman military detention camp, where he was only interrogated once. In mid-June, he was transferred to Ofer military prison in the occupied West Bank, where he was held without charges or trial under the abusive Unlawful Combatants Law. In the testimony he gave to his lawyer, Dr. Khaled Al Serr said that since the first day of his detention, he was subjected to various forms of torture and humiliation. As a result, he sustained injuries to his chest and ribs. He suffers from constant abdominal pain and nausea. Despite repeated pleas for medical treatment, he was denied access to adequate medical care by the Israeli military and Israel Prison Service. In addition to being tortured himself, Dr. Khaled Al Serr reported witnessing torture, including sexual violence, against other detainees.

On 30 September, Dr. Khaled Al Serr was released from Israeli detention at Ofer Military Prison in the occupied West Bank and was sent back to the occupied Gaza Strip.

In a phone call with the IOPT Team after his release, Khaled Al Serr said: "For more than six months, I was almost completely cut off from the outside world, except for one visit by the lawyer in July. I worried about my family in Gaza; I worried about colleagues, but I also knew I was not alone.” Dr. Khaled Al Serr added that “While being interrogated by the Shabak, I learned that there was a campaign calling for my release. It gave me comfort and strength when I needed that so much.” Dr. Khaled Al Serr stressed the importance of continuing to campaign for detainees, especially medical staff and healthcare workers arbitrarily detained and subjected to torture in Israeli jails. “Much as I'm relieved to reunite with my family, I also feel guilty about all those prisoners I've left behind, including healthcare workers, facing torture, denied medical aid, knowing nothing about their families,” he concluded.

The full testimony of Dr. Khaled Al Serr will be shared with our activists later.

NAME AND PREFFERED PRONOUN: Khaled Al Serr (he/him).

THIS IS THE THIRD AND FINAL OUTPUT FOR UA 53/24.