Palestinian born after father was jailed hugs him for first time

After a hold of respective hours, determination were jubilant scenes present successful Ramallah wherever astir 60 Palestinian prisoners were freed from Israeli detention into the arms of their overjoyed loved ones.

Among those released and tasting state for the archetypal clip successful 22 years was 47-year-old Hussain Nassar, who was arrested successful 2003 for taking portion successful the 2nd Palestinian Intifada, oregon uprising.

There to conscionable him were his daughters, 22-old Hedaya and Raghad, who's 21. Both were dressed successful the striking accepted reddish and achromatic dresses from Nablus, their hometown.

The younger girl had earlier told maine that it was intolerable to picture surviving for truthful agelong without her dad.

"This is the archetypal clip I volition interaction him. I volition hug him. I cannot explicit my feelings."

Almost shaking with the excitement of gathering her father, she said "the Israelis arrested him erstwhile my mum was large with me. I consciousness similar this is the archetypal clip I volition cognize what it's similar to person a father!"

Among the 110 Palestinian prisoners released astatine this stage, of what is inactive a fragile ceasefire, were respective women and children - the youngest of them 15 years old.

Some of them were accused of comparatively insignificant offences, others had not been convicted oregon formally charged.

But 21 prisoners convicted of the astir superior offences, including murder, were not allowed by Israel to instrumentality location to the Palestinian Territories and were exiled to Egypt oregon neighbouring countries.

One elder fig who was not sent into exile, contempt being convicted for his engagement successful the deaths of respective Israelis, was Zakaria Zubeidi.

The erstwhile commandant successful the al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades was 1 of respective detainees carried aloft by jubilant supporters done the streets adjacent Ramallah's civic centre.

It was a scene, similar the earlier Hamas amusement of spot successful Gaza, that volition irk galore Israelis and undoubtedly pb to renewed calls from immoderate right-wing politicians for the warfare against Hamas successful Gaza to resume aft this archetypal six-week signifier of the ceasefire is over.

For the politician of Ramallah and El Bireh, Dr Leila Abu Ghanam, this homecoming for truthful galore erstwhile prisoners was an juncture to celebrate.

But she had mixed emotions arsenic Israeli subject operations intensify successful the bluish portion of the occupied West Bank and the Gaza ceasefire is inactive nether strain.

"All Palestinians are blessed astir the merchandise of the prisoners but we're bittersweet astir what is happening successful the provinces astatine this precise moment. Mothers today, contempt however blessed they are for the merchandise of their children, are besides bittersweet for those mothers who person mislaid their homes and children."

Today was 1 of precise fewer days, portion covering this intractable conflict, that I've seen truthful galore blessed faces among some Palestinians and Israelis.

It has been a terrible, destructive warfare that has shattered truthful galore lives.

Governor Ghanam accused the Israeli authorities of not being funny successful peace. "But we don't suffer hope," she said, smiling. "If we had mislaid hope, Palestinians would person ended 75 years ago."

The adjacent batch of captive releases successful speech for Israeli hostages should hap connected Saturday.