Palestinian farmer released after disappearance and detention by Israeli army while seeking aid
Name(s):
Mohammed Nabil Mohammed Qeshta
Status:
Released
Year of birth:
1982
Profession:
Farmer
Nationality:
Palestinian
Date of arrest:
Mohammed Qeshta was forcibly disappeared on August 2, 2025, after heading to an aid distribution point in the north of Rafah. Although the Israeli army confirmed that Qeshta was in their custody, his place of detention initially remained undisclosed and he was denied any communication with the outside world, including access to his lawyer. On October 13, 2025, Mohammed Qeshta was released.
Mohammed Nabil Mohammed Qeshta is a Palestinian farmer, born in 1982, who resided with his family in Khirbet al-Adas, Rafah governorate. On the morning of August 2, 2025, at approximately 8:00 a.m., he left his place of displacement in the al-Mawasi area of Khan Younis with a group of relatives and went to an aid distribution point operated by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF)*, located on al-Teena Street in the Morag area, north of Rafah.
Upon arrival, they were surrounded and arrested by Israeli army. Around 18 individuals were taken, including Qeshta and members of his family. In the absence of any information concerning his fate or whereabouts, his relatives searched for him in hospitals and other possible locations, to no avail.
Later during the day, 11 detainees were released and confirmed that Qeshta and several others had been arrested and subsequently separated from the group. Since then, his family has been unable to establish contact with him.
On August 10, 2025, Al Mezan Center for Human Rights (Al Mezan) submitted an official enquiry to the Israeli army regarding Qeshta’s arrest and place of detention. On August 17, 2025, the army confirmed that Qeshta was in their custody but withheld details of his location and imposed a ban on lawyer visits until September 17, 2025.
As Qeshta remained deprived of any contact with the outside world, MENA Rights Group (MRG) submitted an urgent appeal to the United Nations Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances (UN WGEID), urging them to intervene with the Israeli authorities to clarify Qeshta’s fate and whereabouts.
MRG also requested that the UN Working Group address a communication to the GHF, and to the relevant U.S. authorities, considering the mounting number of cases of enforced disappearances occurring at the aid distribution sites operated by the organisation.
On October 13, 2025, Mohammed Qeshta was released. He reported being tortured while in detention.
* The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation is a U.S. and Israeli-backed organisation criticised by the UN and civil society organisations for operating military-controlled aid distribution sites where Palestinians seeking humanitarian aid have faced daily gun fires and mass casualties. Since the GHF started operating in May 2025 until August 19, over 1,000 Palestinians have been killed at the vicinity of GHF sites.
| Name(s): |
Mohammed Nabil Mohammed Qeshta
|
| Status: |
Released
|
| Year of birth: |
1982
|
| Profession: |
Farmer
|
| Nationality: |
Palestinian
|
| Date of arrest: |
|
Mohammed Nabil Mohammed Qeshta is a Palestinian farmer, born in 1982, who resided with his family in Khirbet al-Adas, Rafah governorate. On the morning of August 2, 2025, at approximately 8:00 a.m., he left his place of displacement in the al-Mawasi area of Khan Younis with a group of relatives and went to an aid distribution point operated by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF)*, located on al-Teena Street in the Morag area, north of Rafah.
Upon arrival, they were surrounded and arrested by Israeli army. Around 18 individuals were taken, including Qeshta and members of his family. In the absence of any information concerning his fate or whereabouts, his relatives searched for him in hospitals and other possible locations, to no avail.
Later during the day, 11 detainees were released and confirmed that Qeshta and several others had been arrested and subsequently separated from the group. Since then, his family has been unable to establish contact with him.
On August 10, 2025, Al Mezan Center for Human Rights (Al Mezan) submitted an official enquiry to the Israeli army regarding Qeshta’s arrest and place of detention. On August 17, 2025, the army confirmed that Qeshta was in their custody but withheld details of his location and imposed a ban on lawyer visits until September 17, 2025.
As Qeshta remained deprived of any contact with the outside world, MENA Rights Group (MRG) submitted an urgent appeal to the United Nations Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances (UN WGEID), urging them to intervene with the Israeli authorities to clarify Qeshta’s fate and whereabouts.
MRG also requested that the UN Working Group address a communication to the GHF, and to the relevant U.S. authorities, considering the mounting number of cases of enforced disappearances occurring at the aid distribution sites operated by the organisation.
On October 13, 2025, Mohammed Qeshta was released. He reported being tortured while in detention.
* The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation is a U.S. and Israeli-backed organisation criticised by the UN and civil society organisations for operating military-controlled aid distribution sites where Palestinians seeking humanitarian aid have faced daily gun fires and mass casualties. Since the GHF started operating in May 2025 until August 19, over 1,000 Palestinians have been killed at the vicinity of GHF sites.
