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Despite Israeli delays and restrictions, a first wave of Palestinian prisoners celebrates freedom

The first group of Palestinian prisoner releases in the occupied West Bank was made up of 69 women and 21 children
The first group of Palestinian prisoners arrived in Beitunia, occupied West Bank, early on Monday morning (AFP/Zain Jaafar)
By Fayha Shalash in Beitunia, occupied Palestine

Celebrations in the occupied West Bank overnight Sunday were as muted as they could be as Israel released the first Palestinian prisoners as part of a ceasefire deal to end fighting in the besieged Gaza Strip.

Israeli soldiers had earlier closed the iron gates installed at the entrances of dozens of villages and towns in the occupied Palestinian territory to prevent vehicles from coming in.

To prevent large crowds from gathering Israeli soldiers had imposed strict security measures at checkpoints, especially in the Ramallah area.

Palestinians were also prevented from approaching the vicinity of the Ofer Prison in the occupied West Bank.

The consequent delays meant there were delays getting home for the prisoners and their relatives, with almost all not arriving until early Monday morning.

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Israel has sought to avoid the scenes that accompanied an earlier prisoner exchange in November 2023.

Hundreds of Palestinians had greeted freed prisoners during that exchange - scenes Israel has been eager to avoid, as it seeks to temper perceptions that it is being strong-armed into a ceasefire deal it does not want.

Israeli restrictions

The tired and exhausted faces that eventually reached their homes were entirely women and children and included, most prominently, the now-grey-haired Palestinian leader Khalida Jarrar, who was released directly from her solitary confinement cell in Ramla prison.

Israel has released 90 Palestinian prisoners as part of the first phase of the ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel.

On the Palestinian side, three Israeli women held since the 7 October attacks on southern Israel were released by the Al-Qassam Brigades in Gaza.

In total, 69 Palestinian women and 21 children were released by Monday morning.

Their families had to endure an hour-long wait on the day, as Israel delayed their release for reasons that are not entirely clear.

According to Palestinian sources, Palestinian officials discovered the absence of one female prisoner due to be released but not present in Monday’s cohort.

They said mediators and the International Committee of the Red Cross were contacted to pressure Israel to comply with the agreed list of prisoners to be released.

'They humiliated us and beat us but the joy of freedom made us forget all that' 

- Manal Salah, released prisoner

When the prisoner, whose identity is not clear, was brought to the holding facility, the entire group of prisoners was released.

They were transported in two buses with blacked-out windows from the gates of Ofer prison to the town of Beitunia.

Relatives of those held were awake to greet them after travelling from towns and villages across the occupied West Bank. 

Some had braved the winter cold for nearly 12 hours in anticipation.

They met their loved ones with joy, waving Palestinian flags and cheering for Hamas, as well as their Palestinian compatriots in Gaza.

The treatment of Palestinian prisoners has been closely observed by Palestinians from all walks of society and was even mentioned in the Hamas statement accompanying the release of Israeli captives.

"The massive crowds of our people who came out to receive the liberated prisoners despite the occupation's oppressive measures are a declaration of defiance against it," Hamas said.

Humiliation 

Some of the women released were immediately transferred to hospitals for examination, while some of the children displayed signs of scabies infection while imprisoned.

Amal Shujaiya, 22, told Middle East Eye that her release felt “indescribable” after spending several months in an Israeli prison.

She said that even towards the end of her captivity, Israeli prison officials had treated her and other Palestinian prisoners harshly.

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“The guards dragged us during the transfer process, and we were subjected to close inspection and procedures that delayed us for a long time,” she said, adding: “We were treated very poorly, but we forgot all of it the moment we met our families.”

Shujaiya said she also thanked the people of Gaza, who subjected themselves to a genocide in order to free Palestinian prisoners from Israeli prisons.

“No matter how much we talk, we cannot thank them enough, and we hope that their lives will return to better than before,” she said.

“Thanks to their patience and steadfastness, we are with our families now,” she added.

Among the released was Manal Salah, who told Middle East Eye that Israeli prison guards had beaten her and other prisoners while transferring them from Damon Prison in Israel to Ofer.

“They humiliated us and beat us but the joy of freedom made us forget all that,” Salah said.

Hadeel Shatara, another released prisoner, said inside Israeli prisons, Palestinians were deprived of food, medical treatment, sanitary products and clothes.

Yet despite their suffering, the plight of those in Gaza was the focus of the Palestinians released on Monday.

“Our joy will not be complete unless Gaza is reconstructed and comes back to life because it is the one that has persevered and brought us to freedom,” Shatara said.

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