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GAZA CITY (Ma'an) -- Twenty-six Palestinians who were detained during the Israeli offensive on Gaza are being held for interrogation in Ashkelon prison, a lawyer for the Palestinian Ministry of Prisoner Affairs said on Friday.

Dozens were released after being detained for a few days, while others were still being kept for interrogation, the lawyer said.

The Israel army previously admitted that 159 Palestinians had been arrested during the Israeli ground invasion of the Gaza Strip and that they had been transferred to the Shin Bet intelligence agency for questioning.

It was unclear where the remaining Palestinians were being held.

The Palestinian Prisoner's Ministry accused Israel of "withholding" crucial information on the detainees that would allow the ministry to keep track of them, including their ID numbers, locations, and conditions.

Minister of Prisoner Affairs Shawqi al-Ayasa said in a statement on Wednesday that there were "growing fears that some of the prisoners have been executed."