The date draws near for Israel's government to begin deporting tens of thousands of African asylum seekers. A detention facility built for Africans recently shut down. At the same time, a legal move is putting the deportations on hold. But as CGTN correspondent Stephanie Freid reports, these are not considered positive developments.

Thousands upon thousands of African Asylum seekers were confined to this desert detention facility during the five years it was open. The aim was to make life so hellish that detainees would eventually agree to deportation. The facility closure seems like a positive thing, right?

STEPHANIE FREID SAHARONIM PRISON, SOUTHERN ISRAEL "Wrong. Some detainees were released to the streets of Israel where by law they aren't allowed to work. Others were deported. The rest were moved half a kilometer down the road to the prison facility that you see behind me. They are here for an unlimited term unless they agree to deportation."

Mass deportations - set to start within weeks - are on temporary hold as Israel courts debate the legality of sending Sudanese and Eritreans to Rwanda. Rwanda denies there's a deal in place to accept asylum seekers - that endangers deportees

ASAF WEITZEN HUMAN RIGHTS ATTORNEY, TEL AVIV "People that are going to Rwanda, or deported to Rwanda based on this secret agreement, if their rights are violated - and all the evidence says that this is the case: they have no legal status and their rights are violated there - if they want to appeal to the courts or the interior ministry there, how can they do it without any agreement. With the government of Rwanda - a dictatorship - defying and saying there is no agreement?"

Speculating deportations will proceed as planned, human rights advocates in Israel say they'll defy deportation orders and hide Africans in their homes

GARY BRENNER HUMAN RIGHTS ADVOCATE, CENTRAL ISRAEL "My parents were Holocaust survivors. My mother was saved by a non-Jewish man who's been recognized in Israel as a righteous human being. For me it was just an obvious thing that after my family's story I must house somebody here."

Dozens of Israelis say they will house asylum seekers. Israel's defense minister met Rwanda's President Paul Kigame earlier this week to reportedly finalize deportation details that, say local sources, include an Israel-Rwanda weapons trade deal. Stephanie Freid, CGTN, Southern Israel.