Gaza Strip – Over the past few weeks, Zaki Salameh, a resident of Gaza who was working as a builder in an Israeli town, has experienced a deeply traumatic series of events. The war that broke out on October 7 between Hamas and Israeli forces has resulted in Salameh’s arrest, torture, and interrogation. Regretful of his decision to work in Israel, Salameh refused to disclose the location for fear of reprisals from the Israeli army. He is one of approximately 18,500 Gaza residents who held permits to work outside the enclave. Salameh revealed that he and other Palestinian workers from Gaza were arrested on October 8 and taken to Ofer Prison in the occupied West Bank city of Ramallah. There, they were subjected to interrogation and torture, including the use of an electric chair. The Israelis questioned them about Hamas tunnels, rocket launchers, and the movements of fighters in and around Gaza. They also inquired about their neighbors, residential areas, and threatened lifetime imprisonment. Salameh stressed that the questions were absurd, as the Israeli authorities were well aware of their identities and would not have granted them work permits if they had connections to Hamas. On Friday morning, the Israeli military announced the release of 3,200 workers from Gaza who were allowed to return to the enclave through the Kerem Shalom crossing. This followed a decision by the Israeli government to revoke their work permits. The government stated that it would sever all contact with Gaza and that there would be no more Palestinian workers from the strip. Expelled, arrested, and rounded up, the displaced Gaza workers had permits enabling them to work outside the enclave, often taking on jobs in construction, restaurants, and malls. The income they earned provided relief, especially since Gaza’s economy has been severely impacted by a 17-year blockade, leading to an unemployment rate of nearly 50 percent. These workers underwent a strict security examination by Israeli intelligence and army, ensuring they had no political affiliations with Gaza or any ties to Palestinian armed groups. However, as Israel began bombing Gaza, it also expelled these workers from their Israeli workplaces. Many, like Salameh, were arrested and detained in Ofer Prison, while others were left at West Bank checkpoints, forced to find their way back to Gaza with only the clothes on their backs. Several Israeli human rights organizations have accused the Israeli authorities of illegally detaining these workers in military facilities, in violation of international law. They have demanded information on their whereabouts and the situation of other Gaza residents who possessed medical permits to enter Israel. Fadi Bakr, who was working in an Israeli mall, was fired on October 7 and forced to leave his job. After staying in Hebron with other workers, they were rounded up and taken to Ofer Prison, where they were detained for 20 days before being released. Bakr expressed fear for his family’s safety and criticized the lack of action taken by the Palestinian Authority to challenge their arrests. The fate of thousands of other Gaza workers remains unknown, leaving many families in distress and uncertainty. The Israeli bombardment has caused immense devastation in Gaza, resulting in thousands of casualties, damaged infrastructure, and widespread displacement. As workers crossed back into Gaza, they wondered about the well-being of their families and the challenges they would face in reaching them. Salameh’s family, for instance, had to flee their home due to heavy bombing and sought shelter in a UN-run school. The roads are unsafe, but Salameh managed to hitch rides on tuk-tuks and a horse-drawn cart arranged by other workers’ relatives at the crossing. Numerous other Gaza residents who worked in Israel are still unaccounted for, leaving their loved ones in a state of uncertainty and concern.