Tears and cheers for freed West Bank prisoners

AFP | Ramallah, Palestinian Territories
Email : editor@newsofbahrain.com

After 23 years of imprisonment in Israel, Ata Abdelghani stepped off a bus on Saturday alongside two dozen other freed Palestinian prisoners. But it wasn't just his newfound freedom he had to look forward to; for the first time, he would meet his twin sons, Zain and Zaid.

The emotional reunion was made possible by his release, part of an ongoing hostage-prisoner exchange agreed upon by Israel and Hamas in a ceasefire deal reached in January. The twins, now 10 years old, were conceived while Abdelghani was in prison, after his sperm was smuggled out.

Abdelghani had been serving a life sentence for various offenses, including murder, according to the Palestinian Prisoners' Club in Ramallah. Holding his sons close, he declared, "These children are the ambassadors of freedom, the future generation."

On the same day, a crowd eagerly gathered to witness the fourth prisoner release since the ceasefire began on January 19. A total of 183 prisoners—most Palestinians, with one Egyptian—were freed in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

Dressed in grey prison tracksuits with shaved heads, the prisoners looked exhausted, but the crowd celebrated them as heroes, hoisting many onto their shoulders in a show of support. “It’s hard to describe in words,” Abdelghani admitted, overcome with emotion. "My thoughts are scattered. I need a great deal of composure to steady my nerves and absorb this overwhelming moment."

Abdelghani went on to describe the difficult and tragic conditions he endured while in prison. Among those released were seven prisoners serving life sentences, including the Egyptian, who was deported to Egypt. The remaining 150 prisoners were sent to Gaza.

The release was part of a prisoner swap following Hamas's October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, during which three Israelis were taken hostage.

Another freed prisoner, Riad Marshoud, was moved to tears as he embraced his two sons, whom he had not seen in over two decades. “The first moment when the bus doors opened and I stepped out was very difficult—it’s hard to describe it in mere words,” Marshoud said, his voice trembling. His sons were young boys when he was jailed 22 years ago, and the emotional reunion left him overcome with joy.

Relatives made video calls to family members who could not attend, and one relative in Jordan and another in the UAE also expressed their excitement and pride. Marshoud, who was jailed on charges including membership in an illegal organization and conspiracy to commit murder, was welcomed by his father, who greeted him with tearful kisses.

Following the releases in Ramallah, three busloads of prisoners arrived in the southern Gaza city of Khan Yunis, where they were greeted by a chanting crowd. "In blood and spirit, we shall redeem you, prisoner!" the crowd cheered as the prisoners were welcomed back to their home.