Palestinian speaker Aziz Dweik released by Israel after eight months

Israeli authorities have released Aziz Dweik, the speaker of the Palestinian Legislative Council, after he had been arbitrarily detained since October.

He was dropped off by Israeli security forces to a military checkpoint in the occupied West Bank city of Hebron on Thursday, eyewitnesses told Anadolu Agency.

Dweik, 77, was arrested on 17 October and held under military detention for six months, which was later extended by Israeli authorities.

Israel holds detainees under administrative detention on the grounds of a "security threat" without an indictment for a period of six months, which can later be extended.

Dweik was held at a prison in the Negev desert, where the Palestinian Prisoners' Club accused authorities of medical neglect.

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