Ashraf Zeghayer (middle), a Palestinian who was launched from Israeli jail throughout a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, hugs his household of their residence in Kfur Aqab, East Jerusalem, on Jan. 25.
Afif H. Amireh for NPR
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Afif H. Amireh for NPR
KFAR AQAB, East Jerusalem — Ashraf Zughayer was given two days’ discover earlier than being launched from Israeli jail after greater than 20 years.
“I felt like I used to be born once more,” the 47-year-old Palestinian says, sitting on the sofa in his household’s front room.
Zughayer was arrested in 2002 for being a member of Palestinian militant group Hamas and driving a suicide bomber to an assault on a Tel Aviv bus that killed six folks. He was sentenced to 600 years.
However after serving 23 years, Zughayer was launched in January as a part of the hostage-for-prisoner alternate outlined in a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas.
Practically 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees have been launched from Israeli jails in latest weeks, in alternate for 33 Israeli hostages freed by Hamas. Lots of the Palestinians launched, like Zughayer, had life sentences for lethal assaults on Israelis, whereas others — together with girls and minors — had been held in administrative detention with out costs or sentences. Greater than half of the Palestinians have been despatched to Gaza. However a number of hundred have been launched to their households within the Israeli-occupied West Financial institution — they usually allege harassment, arrests and intimidation by Israel after they have been freed.
Household and mates have fun the return of Ashraf Zeghayer in East Jerusalem, on Jan. 25.
Afif H.Amireh for NPR
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Ashraf Zeghayer leads a prayer on the household celebration.
Afif H. Amireh for NPR
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Afif H. Amireh for NPR
When Zughayer was launched, he says members of his household instantly drove him residence, the place his dad and mom have been ready for him.
“That was one of the best second of my life, seeing my dad and mom in our home, and never in jail,” Zughayer remembers.
His mother had cooked an enormous meal, and folks from throughout the neighborhood had gathered. However the celebration was short-lived.
Only a few hours later, Israeli troopers and police raided the home, weapons raised, in line with the household and a number of other New York Instances journalists who were there covering Zughayer’s release. The Israeli forces made folks, together with kids, lie on the ground, and arrested Zughayer’s brother.
Israeli police got here again just a few days later and arrested 12 extra members of the prolonged household.
Israeli safety forces, with their rifles raised and pointing ahead, raid the celebration of Ashraf Zeghayer’s return residence from jail, in East Jerusalem, on Jan. 25.
Afif H.Amireh for NPR
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Afif H.Amireh for NPR
The police instructed NPR they have been arrested for “involvement in a latest demonstration supporting a terrorist.” A police report says they have been waving Hamas flags and shot off a gun. The household denies that.
“My family tried to argue within the court docket, saying that we have been celebrating him as a result of he’s our household, and never as a result of he is Hamas,” Zughayer says. The argument did not work, he says.
Israel says celebrations round prisoner and detainee releases encourage violence and terrorism, and has lengthy discouraged them. The federal government has been particularly adamant about it throughout this ceasefire deal, banning them. However Palestinians say the foundations are ambiguous, and name the ban an intimidation tactic.
The releases have coincided with a significant Israeli army operation within the West Financial institution, which Israel says is for counterterrorism, and started two days after the Gaza ceasefire deal went into impact. Israel’s protection minister, Israel Katz, just lately visited Israeli troops within the Tulkarem refugee camp, placing out a video assertion by which he warned newly launched Palestinians.
“I warn the terrorists launched to the West Financial institution — we’re watching you, and we’ll seek out and get rid of anybody concerned in terrorism,” Katz stated.
Israeli troopers and police break up the celebration of Ashraf Zeghayer’s launch from jail. Israel has restricted celebrations round Palestinian prisoner releases. Police later arrested members of the family.
Afif H. Amireh for NPR
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Ashraf Zeghayer comforts his nephews after the Israeli military arrested their father and different members of the family.
Afif H. Amireh for NPR
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Afif H. Amireh for NPR
A wider sample
Qadura Fares was the pinnacle of the Palestinian Prisoner Affairs Fee for greater than 30 years, the official Palestinian group that offers with detainees. He was just lately fired from the place by Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas after a disagreement. NPR spoke with Fares whereas he was nonetheless within the place.
He stated what occurred on the Zughayer home was an excessive case, but it surely match a wider sample.
“The Israelis play some foolish video games,” Fares stated. “In all of the villages, all of the refugee camps, the Shabak are phoning the households.”
The Shabak is Israel’s inside safety company. Fares stated launched detainees and their households get frequent cellphone calls, reminding them to not have fun. The safety company, also referred to as Shin Guess, didn’t reply to NPR’s requests for remark.
Qadura Fares, president of the Palestinian Prisoner Affairs Fee, in his workplace in Ramallah, West Financial institution, on Jan. 25.
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“And Israel retains arresting as a part of their technique,” Fares stated.
Israeli forces are nonetheless arresting Palestinians within the West Financial institution every day, particularly with the brand new army operation there. So whilst tons of of Palestinians have been launched from Israeli jails to the West Financial institution over the previous month, tons of extra have been arrested or detained throughout that point. Greater than 9,000 Palestinians are nonetheless being held in Israeli jails, in line with Israeli and Palestinian human rights groups — a quantity that roughly doubled because the warfare in Gaza started in 2023.
And, Fares identified, the ceasefire deal doesn’t specify that those that are launched cannot be rearrested.
A earlier truce between Israel and Hamas in November 2023 concerned the alternate of hostages for prisoners and detainees as effectively. Greater than 30 of the 240 or so Palestinians launched in that deal have been later rearrested, and 4 killed by Israeli forces. Fares stated it is a method of holding former detainees and their households on their toes.
Clothes, pictures and different home goods are scattered on the ground after Israeli authorities raid the East Jerusalem residence of Ashraf Zeghayer following his launch from jail.
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Moneer Zeghayer reacts after Israeli forces searched his residence in East Jerusalem, following the celebration of the discharge from jail of a relative.
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Households on edge
In a small Palestinian village exterior of Ramallah, within the West Financial institution, Rudeina and her nephew Hamad sit within the household front room. A framed portrait of Rudeina’s brother, Hamad’s uncle, hangs on the wall above their heads. He’s set to quickly be launched after 16 years in Israeli jail on costs of being affiliated with Hamas.
NPR isn’t utilizing the household’s final title as a result of they are saying they have been threatened by Israeli forces and concern for his or her security. Troopers have been simply on the home just a few hours in the past.
“They got here right here, and stood proper exterior the door, and instructed us celebrations aren’t allowed,” Hamad says. “They stated that if we celebrated, they’d raid the home, and arrest anybody concerned.”
Rudeina says all of it has the household on edge. “We’re so joyful that he is popping out, as a result of every single day out means a greater life for him. However the environment in the home remains to be very unhappy. We’re simply so anxious,” she says.
As she’s speaking, one other member of the household pokes their head into the lounge and says phrase has unfold by a neighborhood WhatsApp group that the Israeli army is at one other home down the road. Rudeina retains getting as much as look out the window nervously.
“Possibly after you permit, the troopers will come again,” she says.
Minutes later, as NPR’s crew walks out the door, three armored army jeeps waving the Israeli flag drive by the home, and proceed down the road.
Zeghayer members of the family are gathered of their residence after Israeli forces arrested their family, on Jan. 25. Neighbors are on edge that they is also raided in the event that they have fun the return of their family members from jail.
Afif H. Amireh for NPR
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Nuha Musleh contributed to this report from the West Financial institution. Itay Stern contributed from Tel Aviv, Israel.
