Misbar Debunks Israeli Disinformation Targeting Freed Palestinian Prisoner

Amid widespread outrage over Ibrahim Mohammad Khaleel al-Shaweesh’s appearance after his release from an Israeli prison, Israeli trolls spread false claims, alleging he was never imprisoned in Israel or that he had received cancer treatment there. Misbar’s team refutes this Israeli propaganda targeting freed Palestinian prisoners.

Pro-Israel Users Disseminate False Claims Over Al-Shaweesh’s Imprisonment

After the release of Palestinian prisoner Ibrahim Al-Shawish, many videos circulated across social media platforms, revealing clear signs of torture and starvation in Israeli prisons.

The Israeli military arrested Al-Shawish, a secondary school teacher in Beit Hanoun, on December 10, 2023, at a shelter in northern Gaza and released him on February 8, 2025.

Misbar closely tracked Israeli trolls’ attempts to mislead the public about the prisoner’s case to deflect accountability for Israel’s severe torture of Palestinian prisoners.

Israeli accounts launched a large-scale campaign to question the story and deny crimes committed by the occupation against Palestinian prisoners.

The campaign claimed that Israel never imprisoned Al-Shawish. Pro-Israel users shared a list of 736 Palestinian prisoners released or set for release in the first phase of the exchange, arguing that Ibrahim Al-Shawish’s name was missing to discredit his imprisonment and release.

Other users alleged he was a prisoner but suffered from stomach cancer and received treatment in Israel.

In addition, some users on X exploited the Community Notes service to deny that Al-Shawish was ever a prisoner, adding a link to the Israeli government website’s list of 736 prisoners released or expected to be freed in the first phase as a source.

Misbar Investigates the Israeli Government’s List of Released Prisoners

Misbar’s investigative team examined the Israeli government’s list of Palestinian prisoners released or set to be released during the first phase of the prisoner exchange deal between the Palestinian Resistance and Israel.

Misbar found that the Israeli government’s list excludes thousands of Gaza detainees whom Israel imprisoned after October 7, 2023, and is releasing in phases throughout the exchange.

The listed prisoners’ places of residence are in the West Bank and other occupied Palestinian territories outside of Gaza.

Al-Shaweesh’s Name Included in Palestinian Prisoners Associations’ Lists

Misbar’s team reviewed lists of released prisoners shared by Palestinian prisoners’ associations and found that Ibrahim Mohammad Khaleel al-Shaweesh’s name appears among the 111 detainees abducted by Israel since October 7 and released on February 8, 2025.

The Palestinian Asra Media Office’s list, published on February 7, includes Ibrahim Mohammad Khaleel al-Shaweesh’s name as number 108 among the released prisoners.

The Palestinian Commission of Detainees and Ex-Detainees also released a list of prisoners freed by Israel on February 8, confirming that Ibrahim Mohammad Khaleel al-Shaweesh was among them. 

He was listed as number 59 among the 111 freed Palestinian prisoners from Gaza imprisoned after October 7.

Al-Shaweesh Reveals Severe Torture Upon His Release

Following his release on February 8, Ibrahim Mohammad Khaleel al-Shaweesh spoke to Safa, a local news outlet, about the severe mistreatment he endured in Israeli captivity.

“For 45 days, they kept me blindfolded, forced me to kneel with my hands shackled, and made me sleep in restraints,” he said. “Then, they transferred me to Negev prison, where I endured electric shocks and attacks by dogs.”

Prisoner Exchange Under Gaza Ceasefire Deal

The Palestinian Resistance and Israel conducted their fifth prisoner exchange as part of a ceasefire deal in Gaza.

On February 8, the Palestinian Resistance released three Israeli captives, while Israel’s prison service confirmed the release of 183 Palestinian detainees, 111 of whom returned to Gaza.

Abdullah al-Zaghari, head of the Palestinian Prisoners’ Society, stated that all freed prisoners require medical attention due to the brutality they endured during their detention. The Palestinian Red Crescent confirmed that hospitals admitted seven of the freed prisoners.

Previously, Israel’s Justice Ministry announced plans to release 736 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for the first group of Israeli captives under the initial phase of the deal. The agreement also includes 1,000 Palestinian minors under 19 whom Israeli occupying forces arrested in Gaza.

Qadura Fares, who heads the Palestinian Commission for Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs, confirmed that Israel will release 1,737 Palestinian detainees in the first phase of the exchange.

Meanwhile, the Palestinian Resistance has postponed the next scheduled release of Israeli hostages due to Israeli violations of the ceasefire agreement.

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