Details – Releasing 18 prisoners in the third batch of the exchange deal
On the 12th day of the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, the third batch of the exchange deal between Israel and Hamas was implemented in its first phase, after delays, procrastination and threats not to release them by a decision from the political level after expressing anger at the scenes of handing over Israeli prisoners in Khan Yunis.
The Wadi Hilweh Information Center in Jerusalem explained that 18 Jerusalemite prisoners were released in the third batch of the deal.
The Information Center said that the prisoners who were released are: Mohammad Farroukh, Subhi Abu Khalifa, Abed Dwayyat, Saeed Qumboz, Tarek Dweik, Musa Ajlouni, Murad Al-Rajabi, Mohammad Al-Abbasi, Rashid Al-Risheq, Amir Farroukh, Mohammad Rashda, Mohammad Sabah, Moab Abu Khdeir, Rami Salah Al-Din, Mahmoud Abdul Latif, Mahdi Abu Hamed, Reda Obeid, and Mohammad Ali.
The Information Center said that the prisoners who were released from Jerusalem were mostly those with long sentences. The highest sentence was for prisoner Mohammad Farroukh, who was sentenced to 19 years, Subhi Abu Khalifa and Abed Dwayyat, who were sentenced to 18 years, Tarek Dweik and Saeed Qumboz, who were sentenced to 17 years, Musa Ajlouni, who was sentenced to 16 years, in addition to sentences ranging from 7 to 15 years. Among those released were a boy who is under house arrest and another who was detained.
The center said that the released prisoners are from the neighborhoods and towns of Silwan, Kufor Aqab, Shu’fat refugee camp, the Old City, Al-Tur, Sur Baher, and Issawiya.
The center explained that the Jerusalemite prisoner Abed Dwayyat was transferred to the Gaza Strip in preparation for his deportation outside the Palestinian territories, noting that after his arrest and sentence, the occupation authorities decided to withdraw his identity, and closed his family's home with "tin plates" and iron sheets, and prevented the family from using it.
Release procedures and hours of waiting and procrastination
The center explained that the occupation authorities summoned the families of the prisoners on Thursday morning, and asked them to come immediately to the Al-Maskoubiya Police Station / Rooms 4 in West Jerusalem, in preparation for the release of their sons, and informed them of the conditions of the release "not to gather during the reception of the prisoner, not to raise flags and banners, not to launch fireworks, and not to distribute sweets.”
The Information Center said that the intelligence asked the families to wait after signing the release conditions, then transferred them to the intelligence vehicles in Al-Maskoubiya. At approximately 2:00 PM, the families were surprised by their demand to get out of the vehicles and were detained in the courtyard of the "Rooms 4" center. They were prevented using their phones, or going to the bathroom or even drinking water. The intelligence informed them that their children would not be released.
At 2:00 PM, the occupation authorities suspended the release of Palestinian prisoners and held an emergency session under the pretext of "the scenes of the release of Arbel Yehud and Gadi Moses" from Khan Younis. During that, the Prisoners' Media Office confirmed that after following up on the matter with mediators, the Palestinian prisoners would be released at 5:00 PM local time in Palestine.
At 5:15 PM, the release of the Jerusalemite prisoners began, and each prisoner was taken with his guardian to the door of his home. As for the Shu’fat refugee camp prisoners, Khalifa and Rashda, they were released at the camp checkpoint, and Dweik and Qumboz were released from Ofer prison.
Signs of fatigue, exhaustion and severe weight loss appeared on the released prisoners, while the effects of scabies disease appeared on the bodies of the two Jerusalemite prisoners, Mohammad Sabah and Reda Obeid. The Jerusalemite prisoners were subjected to beatings and pushing while being prepared for release.
Raids and harassment
In the afternoon, the occupation forces arrested the wife and sister of the Jerusalemite prisoner Mahmoud Abdul Latif, while they were waiting for his release.
In the evening, a large force stormed the home of the released prisoner Subhi Abu Khalifa and severely beat those present, threatened family members, and arrested the prisoner's brother.
The Information Center said that the intelligence services raided the homes of the released prisoners throughout Thursday, searched them, and stationed themselves in their surroundings, and each time threatened family members.
