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HEBRON (Ma’an) -- Israeli authorities released Palestinian lawmaker Hatim Qafisha on Sunday after he completed six months of administrative detention in Israeli custody.

Family members told Ma’an that Qafisha, a 54-year-old Hamas-affiliated member of the Palestinian Legislative Council, was released at the Mitar checkpoint south of al-Dhahiriya in the southern occupied West Bank.
A number of lawmakers and family members were waiting for him behind the checkpoint.

Qafisha was most recently detained in January, and saw his administrative detention renewed in May.

He has served around 13 years in Israeli custody, more than 12 years of which he spent in administrative detention -- internment without charges or trial.

According to statistics by prisoners’ rights organization Addameer, seven Palestinian lawmakers were detained by Israel as of May, and 715 Palestinians were being held in administrative custody, a policy international community has repeatedly said is in contravention to international law.

Rights groups have claimed that Israel's administrative detention policy has been used as an attempt to disrupt Palestinian political processes, notably targeting Palestinian politicians, activists, and journalists, as it allows Israel to imprison Palestinians without disclosing evidence and without charge or trial.

Although Israeli authorities claim the withholding of evidence during administrative detention is essential for state security concerns, rights groups have instead claimed the policy allows Israeli authorities to hold Palestinians for an indefinite period of time without showing any evidence that could justify their detentions.