Release of detainees to a war zone

During two years of warfare and the decimation of living conditions in the Gaza Strip, Israel persisted in its policy of releasing detainees to Gaza whose registered address is within the Strip. Detainees who were arrested as undocumented residents in the West Bank or Israel, even after spending extended periods outside Gaza, were released directly into the Strip, despite the clear risks to their safety. This policy constitutes a violation of international law and the principle of non-refoulement, which requires the provision of temporary protection from deportation or removal to a place where a person’s life or liberty would be threatened. It should be noted that as a result of longstanding Israeli policy, Palestinians residing in the Occupied Territories generally cannot change their official address from Gaza to the West Bank, and are therefore treated by Israel as undocumented residents, even if they relocated to the West Bank years ago.