Haitham Salem, a 31-year-old electrician from northern Gaza, spent 11 months detained in Israeli prisons after being separated from his family at a military checkpoint while fleeing bombardment. He describes enduring violent abuse, harsh conditions, and psychological torment during his incarceration, including beatings, attacks by dogs, and exposure to deafening music. Salem was never charged with a crime and was ultimately released as part of a prisoner exchange, but returned to Gaza only to learn that his wife and three young children had been killed in an Israeli airstrike a month before his release.

Salem's account of mistreatment aligns with reports from other released detainees and human rights organizations, though Israeli authorities deny systematic abuse and maintain that his detention was justified. Despite his denials of involvement with armed groups, Israeli officials claim he was affiliated with Palestinian Islamic Jihad, but provided no evidence. Now living in a tent among the displaced in central Gaza, Salem mourns the loss of his family and the life he once knew, carrying only memories and a handmade bracelet for his late daughter.