Missing Gaza Man Reunites With Fiancée After Year in Israeli Detention
A Palestinian man who was missing for nearly a year has reunited with his fiancée after being released from Israeli detention, despite his family previously being told he had died.
Hamada al-Banna disappeared in August 2025 while searching for food near northern Gaza. He said he was wounded during an Israeli attack, spent months in a coma, and was later transferred to detention, where he claims he endured solitary confinement and torture.
His fiancée, Reem Jadallah, refused to believe he was dead. She sold her gold to hire a lawyer and continued searching for him after others had lost hope. The family finally learned he was alive when the International Committee of the Red Cross informed them of his release.
Although reunited, Jadallah said the experience has left Banna physically and psychologically changed, forcing the couple to postpone their wedding after losing their home and savings.
