22 aug 2016
Al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, has said that the Israeli prisoners being held in the Gaza Strip will be treated the same way as the Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.
This came in a speech by spokesman for the Brigades Abu Obaidah during a military parade organized on Sunday in southern Gaza to commemorate the martyrdom of three senior Qassam leaders during Israel's war on Gaza in 2014.
"The enemy should know that its prisoners will receive the same treatment that our prisoners receive in its jails," Abu Obaidah said.
The spokesman warned the Israeli occupation state of persisting in its "wanton and repressive acts against the Palestinian prisoners in its jails, stressing that al-Qassam Brigades of Hamas would spare no effort to liberate them.
He highlighted the readiness of the Palestinian resistance spearheaded by al-Qassam Brigades to defend its people against any renewed attack by the Israeli army, warning that the continued blockade would not serve the state of calm in Gaza.
This came in a speech by spokesman for the Brigades Abu Obaidah during a military parade organized on Sunday in southern Gaza to commemorate the martyrdom of three senior Qassam leaders during Israel's war on Gaza in 2014.
"The enemy should know that its prisoners will receive the same treatment that our prisoners receive in its jails," Abu Obaidah said.
The spokesman warned the Israeli occupation state of persisting in its "wanton and repressive acts against the Palestinian prisoners in its jails, stressing that al-Qassam Brigades of Hamas would spare no effort to liberate them.
He highlighted the readiness of the Palestinian resistance spearheaded by al-Qassam Brigades to defend its people against any renewed attack by the Israeli army, warning that the continued blockade would not serve the state of calm in Gaza.
21 aug 2016
A Palestinian citizen from Occupied Jerusalem was indicted by an Israeli court on Sunday for receiving cash from a Hamas operative in Turkey and transferring them to the families of slain anti-occupation youths.
The indictment was filed at the Jerusalem District Court against 39-year-old Seif Al-Din Abdel-Nabi on charges of contacting a foreign agent and funding anti-occupation activism.
According to the indictment, Abdel-Nabi had received money from ex-prisoner Zakariah Najib, who had served a sentence in Israeli prison for involvement in the abduction and death of the Israeli occupation soldier Nachshon Wachsman in 1994.
He was released in the prisoner swap deal of 2011 when abducted Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit was released in exchange for over 1,000 captives.
Abdel-Nabi met Najib in Turkey during a business trip to a clothing shop he owns in Istanbul, the indictment further alleged.
Najib knew that the defendant lived in Occupied Jerusalem and asked him to send the funds to families of anti-occupation protesters who were either killed or serving time in prison.
During several trips to Turkey, the defendant allegedly received a total of $25,000 from Najib. He used various techniques to hide the money when traveling to the occupied territories.
The indictment was filed at the Jerusalem District Court against 39-year-old Seif Al-Din Abdel-Nabi on charges of contacting a foreign agent and funding anti-occupation activism.
According to the indictment, Abdel-Nabi had received money from ex-prisoner Zakariah Najib, who had served a sentence in Israeli prison for involvement in the abduction and death of the Israeli occupation soldier Nachshon Wachsman in 1994.
He was released in the prisoner swap deal of 2011 when abducted Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit was released in exchange for over 1,000 captives.
Abdel-Nabi met Najib in Turkey during a business trip to a clothing shop he owns in Istanbul, the indictment further alleged.
Najib knew that the defendant lived in Occupied Jerusalem and asked him to send the funds to families of anti-occupation protesters who were either killed or serving time in prison.
During several trips to Turkey, the defendant allegedly received a total of $25,000 from Najib. He used various techniques to hide the money when traveling to the occupied territories.
18 aug 2016
Family of the Israeli officer Hadar Goldin who is missed in Gaza demands Israeli government do more to pressure Hamas to return their son along with soldier Oron Shaul who is detained by Hamas in Gaza.
Criticizing the government’s handling of Palestinian resistance activists and the return of their bodies, the Goldins called upon the cabinet to institute harsher measures against Palestinian prisoners, and to withhold the benefits offered to them until Hadar and Oron are returned to Israel.
"The time has come for the Israeli government to internalize the fact that it has the ability to put Hamas under a great deal of pressure to return Oron and Hadar", the Goldin family said.
The family added that the return of Palestinians’ bodies should be conditioned on the return of the two Israeli soldiers. They opined that any decision on the return of a Palestinian’s body should only be made after ministers hold a hearing on the status of Oron and Hadar and hear all of the information pertinent to the situation.
“How can it be that Hamas members in Israeli prisons get a services package including food, television privileges, and the opportunity to obtain academic degrees while the Israeli people and we the families of Oron and Hadar don’t get a single bit of information on their status?”, the family said.
Al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas Movement, captured the Israeli soldier Shaul east of Gaza while officer Goldin was missed after clashes with the Brigades east of Rafah during the Israeli war on Gaza in 2014.
Criticizing the government’s handling of Palestinian resistance activists and the return of their bodies, the Goldins called upon the cabinet to institute harsher measures against Palestinian prisoners, and to withhold the benefits offered to them until Hadar and Oron are returned to Israel.
"The time has come for the Israeli government to internalize the fact that it has the ability to put Hamas under a great deal of pressure to return Oron and Hadar", the Goldin family said.
The family added that the return of Palestinians’ bodies should be conditioned on the return of the two Israeli soldiers. They opined that any decision on the return of a Palestinian’s body should only be made after ministers hold a hearing on the status of Oron and Hadar and hear all of the information pertinent to the situation.
“How can it be that Hamas members in Israeli prisons get a services package including food, television privileges, and the opportunity to obtain academic degrees while the Israeli people and we the families of Oron and Hadar don’t get a single bit of information on their status?”, the family said.
Al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas Movement, captured the Israeli soldier Shaul east of Gaza while officer Goldin was missed after clashes with the Brigades east of Rafah during the Israeli war on Gaza in 2014.
16 aug 2016
Randa al-Shahatit
The Israeli prison authority on Monday evening released female prisoner Sanaa al-Hafi at Beit Hanoun (Erez) border crossing with the Gaza Strip after she spent 20 months in jail.
The Palestinian Information Center (PIC) reporter in Gaza said that several relatives and citizens received Hafi on the Palestinian side of the crossing.
Hafi, 44, was arrested on May 26, 2015 as she was en route to Gaza after a visit to relatives in Ramallah city. She was accused then by the Shin Bet of transferring money to an illegal group.
In another development, the Israeli military court in Ofer on Monday decided to give female prisoner Randa al-Shahatit, from Dura town in al-Khalil, a conditional release soon and make her pay 5,000 shekels in bail.
According to the Palestinian Prisoner Society, the court ordered Shahatit not to leave her town or participate in any activities, and to go to Kiryat Araba police station every Thursday to sign a presence sheet.
Israeli soldiers kidnapped Shahatit in early August at a makeshift checkpoint as she was going to a hospital in Bethlehem.
Shahatit, a mother of three children, had been detained four times before and released as part of the 2011 prisoner swap deal in Gaza. The Shin Bet has sought to rejail her in order to make her complete a previous prison term.
The Israeli prison authority on Monday evening released female prisoner Sanaa al-Hafi at Beit Hanoun (Erez) border crossing with the Gaza Strip after she spent 20 months in jail.
The Palestinian Information Center (PIC) reporter in Gaza said that several relatives and citizens received Hafi on the Palestinian side of the crossing.
Hafi, 44, was arrested on May 26, 2015 as she was en route to Gaza after a visit to relatives in Ramallah city. She was accused then by the Shin Bet of transferring money to an illegal group.
In another development, the Israeli military court in Ofer on Monday decided to give female prisoner Randa al-Shahatit, from Dura town in al-Khalil, a conditional release soon and make her pay 5,000 shekels in bail.
According to the Palestinian Prisoner Society, the court ordered Shahatit not to leave her town or participate in any activities, and to go to Kiryat Araba police station every Thursday to sign a presence sheet.
Israeli soldiers kidnapped Shahatit in early August at a makeshift checkpoint as she was going to a hospital in Bethlehem.
Shahatit, a mother of three children, had been detained four times before and released as part of the 2011 prisoner swap deal in Gaza. The Shin Bet has sought to rejail her in order to make her complete a previous prison term.
10 aug 2016
Two years after Hadar Goldin was killed and his body abducted by Hamas in Gaza, hundreds showed up to pay respects, including senior ministers; justice minister vows 'not to rest until we bring him home.'
A memorial service for Captain Hadar Goldin, whose body was abducted by Hamas terrorists in 2014 during Operation Protective Edge, took place on Tuesday in which the family urged the government to do more to secure his return to Israel.
With tears streaming from their eyes, Hadar’s parents, Lea and Simcha, shook hands with hundreds of mourners who attended the service for their son.
The memorial took place in the military cemetery in Kfar Saba marking two years after his remains were snatched. Hadar was killed in Gaza and his body has remained in Hamas’ hands ever since.
“Hadar, you were a lighthouse and now that you are no longer here suddenly that lighthouse has gone,” said Hadar’s older sister, Ayelet.
Tzur, Hadar’s twin brother, called upon politicians to do everything they can in order to secure the return of his brother’s body: “Every day that passes is another one in which we have not fulfilled our obligations to our civilians.”
The government failed to secure his release most recently during the Turkey reconciliation deal when it came under massive political and public pressure to make any deal conditional upon the return of Hadar’s body—and other Israeli civilians and soldiers in Hamas captivity.
Despite the Goldin family’s expressions of disappointment at the failure of government ministers invited to attend the service to confirm arrival, which was published in Yent’s sister newspaper ‘Yedioth Ahronoth’ two days ago, three government ministers did indeed show up.
They included Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked, Tzachi Hanegbi and Yoav Galant. In addition, former Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon and Deputy Defense Minister Eli Ben-Dahan also attended to pay their respects.
“Our commitment to Hadar has not ended. We still have one task before us - to bring him home together with Oron Shaul,” said Minister Shaked at the ceremony. “We will not rest until we have done what is required of us.”
A memorial service for Captain Hadar Goldin, whose body was abducted by Hamas terrorists in 2014 during Operation Protective Edge, took place on Tuesday in which the family urged the government to do more to secure his return to Israel.
With tears streaming from their eyes, Hadar’s parents, Lea and Simcha, shook hands with hundreds of mourners who attended the service for their son.
The memorial took place in the military cemetery in Kfar Saba marking two years after his remains were snatched. Hadar was killed in Gaza and his body has remained in Hamas’ hands ever since.
“Hadar, you were a lighthouse and now that you are no longer here suddenly that lighthouse has gone,” said Hadar’s older sister, Ayelet.
Tzur, Hadar’s twin brother, called upon politicians to do everything they can in order to secure the return of his brother’s body: “Every day that passes is another one in which we have not fulfilled our obligations to our civilians.”
The government failed to secure his release most recently during the Turkey reconciliation deal when it came under massive political and public pressure to make any deal conditional upon the return of Hadar’s body—and other Israeli civilians and soldiers in Hamas captivity.
Despite the Goldin family’s expressions of disappointment at the failure of government ministers invited to attend the service to confirm arrival, which was published in Yent’s sister newspaper ‘Yedioth Ahronoth’ two days ago, three government ministers did indeed show up.
They included Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked, Tzachi Hanegbi and Yoav Galant. In addition, former Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon and Deputy Defense Minister Eli Ben-Dahan also attended to pay their respects.
“Our commitment to Hadar has not ended. We still have one task before us - to bring him home together with Oron Shaul,” said Minister Shaked at the ceremony. “We will not rest until we have done what is required of us.”
8 aug 2016
Israeli military court of Ofer extended the detention order of the Palestinian woman, Randah al-Shahatit, 30, from al-Khalil until next Tuesday, according to Muhjat al-Quds Foundation for Prisoners and Martyrs.
Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) arrested Shahatit last Thursday at one of the Israeli military barriers while she was on her way to hospital in Bethlehem to check on her newborn girl.
She has three children and had been arrested two times before in Israeli jails where she served four years and two months after an alleged attempted murder of a Jewish settler inside al-Ibrahimi Mosque.
She is an ex-detainee who was released from Israeli prisons within Wafaa al-Ahrar prisoner exchange deal.
Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) arrested Shahatit last Thursday at one of the Israeli military barriers while she was on her way to hospital in Bethlehem to check on her newborn girl.
She has three children and had been arrested two times before in Israeli jails where she served four years and two months after an alleged attempted murder of a Jewish settler inside al-Ibrahimi Mosque.
She is an ex-detainee who was released from Israeli prisons within Wafaa al-Ahrar prisoner exchange deal.
Hamas on Monday vowed that Israeli captives will not see the light until Palestinian detainees are released from Israeli jails.
The statement was released by Hamas spokesman Abdullatif al-Kanou’ during a rally held outside the headquarters of the Red Cross in Gaza in solidarity with the Palestinian hunger strikers in Israeli jails.
Al-Kanou’ harked back to the abduction of the Israeli captive Shalit as an instance of the iron will and productive potentials with which Hamas has been endowed over the decades, despite the wars and destruction it has been made to endure.
“The prisoners’ cause is the cause of every single Palestinian,” said al-Kanou’. “We had once said that Shalit will not see the day until our detainees do and the dream had come true. Today history repeats itself; Israeli captives will not be released until Israel releases our detainees,” he stated.
Over 7,000 Palestinian detainees are held in different Israeli lock-ups across the 1948 occupied Palestinian territories, including 1,500 sick detainees, 750 administrative prisoners, 70 women, 400 children, and five MPs. 41 prisoners have been jailed for over 20 years in Israeli prisons, some among whom incarcerated before the Oslo accord.
On April 2, Hamas’s armed wing, the al-Qassam Brigades, released the names and pictures of four Israeli soldiers who are reportedly held captive by the group and refused to release any further details until Israel frees all prisoners who were re-arrested after being released in the Shalit deal.
The statement was released by Hamas spokesman Abdullatif al-Kanou’ during a rally held outside the headquarters of the Red Cross in Gaza in solidarity with the Palestinian hunger strikers in Israeli jails.
Al-Kanou’ harked back to the abduction of the Israeli captive Shalit as an instance of the iron will and productive potentials with which Hamas has been endowed over the decades, despite the wars and destruction it has been made to endure.
“The prisoners’ cause is the cause of every single Palestinian,” said al-Kanou’. “We had once said that Shalit will not see the day until our detainees do and the dream had come true. Today history repeats itself; Israeli captives will not be released until Israel releases our detainees,” he stated.
Over 7,000 Palestinian detainees are held in different Israeli lock-ups across the 1948 occupied Palestinian territories, including 1,500 sick detainees, 750 administrative prisoners, 70 women, 400 children, and five MPs. 41 prisoners have been jailed for over 20 years in Israeli prisons, some among whom incarcerated before the Oslo accord.
On April 2, Hamas’s armed wing, the al-Qassam Brigades, released the names and pictures of four Israeli soldiers who are reportedly held captive by the group and refused to release any further details until Israel frees all prisoners who were re-arrested after being released in the Shalit deal.
Israeli Maariv newspaper reported that the Bedouin young man called Juma Abu Ghanima who entered Gaza three weeks ago has been held captive by Hamas.
Colonel Lior Lotan, coordinator of the affairs of prisoners and the missing in the Israeli army called him “Israeli prisoner”.
The PIC’s Hebrew affairs analyst said that Israeli Shin Bet aimed by entering Abu Ghanima into Gaza at accessing sensitive information or maybe getting data on the rest of the Israeli soldiers who are captured by the resistance.
But, being exposed made the Israeli occupation declare him prisoner, claiming that he sneaked into the Gaza Strip on his own.
Israeli forces reported last month that an Israeli man of Bedouin origin crossed the security fence into Gaza Strip. The forces then carried out an intensive search operation without releasing any information on him or on the reasons of his presence in that area.
Colonel Lior Lotan, coordinator of the affairs of prisoners and the missing in the Israeli army called him “Israeli prisoner”.
The PIC’s Hebrew affairs analyst said that Israeli Shin Bet aimed by entering Abu Ghanima into Gaza at accessing sensitive information or maybe getting data on the rest of the Israeli soldiers who are captured by the resistance.
But, being exposed made the Israeli occupation declare him prisoner, claiming that he sneaked into the Gaza Strip on his own.
Israeli forces reported last month that an Israeli man of Bedouin origin crossed the security fence into Gaza Strip. The forces then carried out an intensive search operation without releasing any information on him or on the reasons of his presence in that area.
6 aug 2016
The Hamas Movement organized on Friday evening a massive march in east Gaza in solidarity with the hunger-striking prisoners in Israeli jails.
The participants carried banners and chanted slogans in support of al-Qassam Brigades and in solidarity with hunger striking prisoners.
During the march, senior Hamas official Fawzi Barhoum said that the prisoners in Israeli jails would see another swap deal soon, which he described as "Wafa al-Ahrar 2."
Barhoum told the Palestinian Information Center (PIC) that the Palestinian prisoners rely on the Palestinian resistance to free them from Israeli jails through a new swap deal.
"The will of the prisoners will not break, and as you have wagered on 'Wafa al-Ahrar 1' (the 2011 swap deal), 'Wafa al-Ahrar 2' will empty the prisons soon.
The occupation should understand the equations correctly," he emphasized. The Hamas official also affirmed that the Palestinian resistance spearheaded by al-Qassam Brigades support the hunger strike battle which the prisoners are fighting in Israeli jails.
The participants carried banners and chanted slogans in support of al-Qassam Brigades and in solidarity with hunger striking prisoners.
During the march, senior Hamas official Fawzi Barhoum said that the prisoners in Israeli jails would see another swap deal soon, which he described as "Wafa al-Ahrar 2."
Barhoum told the Palestinian Information Center (PIC) that the Palestinian prisoners rely on the Palestinian resistance to free them from Israeli jails through a new swap deal.
"The will of the prisoners will not break, and as you have wagered on 'Wafa al-Ahrar 1' (the 2011 swap deal), 'Wafa al-Ahrar 2' will empty the prisons soon.
The occupation should understand the equations correctly," he emphasized. The Hamas official also affirmed that the Palestinian resistance spearheaded by al-Qassam Brigades support the hunger strike battle which the prisoners are fighting in Israeli jails.
5 aug 2016
The Israeli occupation forces (IOF) on Thursday afternoon kidnapped anew ex-detainee Randa Shahatit, a 29-year-old mother from Dura town in al-Khalil, at a checkpoint near Bethlehem.
According to local sources, Shahatit was en route to a hospital in Bethlehem when soldiers at an-Nashash checkpoint south of Bethlehem detained her and then took her to an undeclared place.
Shahatit, a mother of three young children, had already spent seven years in jails.
The number of Palestinian female prisoners in Sharon and Damon jails has risen to 65 following the detention of Shahatit. According to the Palestinian commission for detainees and ex-detainees, 41 Palestinian women, 12 of them under age 18, are suffering from harsh incarceration conditions in Sharon jail.
According to local sources, Shahatit was en route to a hospital in Bethlehem when soldiers at an-Nashash checkpoint south of Bethlehem detained her and then took her to an undeclared place.
Shahatit, a mother of three young children, had already spent seven years in jails.
The number of Palestinian female prisoners in Sharon and Damon jails has risen to 65 following the detention of Shahatit. According to the Palestinian commission for detainees and ex-detainees, 41 Palestinian women, 12 of them under age 18, are suffering from harsh incarceration conditions in Sharon jail.
The family of captive soldier Oron Shaul has deplored the Israeli government for ignoring the issue of its son, saying it is confident that he is still alive in Gaza.
"The family regrets that it has preferred the state of Israel over its son. The state now has forgotten its son and we feel sorry for the mistake we have done," the prisoner's cousin, Mimi Shaul stated in press remarks.
According to Mimi, the family previously agreed that its son could be classified as a "fallen soldier whose burial place is unknown" in order not to put the state in an embarrassing situation, but now it has to convince the public that an Israeli soldier is alive and captive in Gaza.
Mimi pointed to the presence of serious doubts about the Israeli army's story on the fate of his cousin, affirming that Shaul's helmet and case were found in a tunnel and that there was no trace of his body.
"The family regrets that it has preferred the state of Israel over its son. The state now has forgotten its son and we feel sorry for the mistake we have done," the prisoner's cousin, Mimi Shaul stated in press remarks.
According to Mimi, the family previously agreed that its son could be classified as a "fallen soldier whose burial place is unknown" in order not to put the state in an embarrassing situation, but now it has to convince the public that an Israeli soldier is alive and captive in Gaza.
Mimi pointed to the presence of serious doubts about the Israeli army's story on the fate of his cousin, affirming that Shaul's helmet and case were found in a tunnel and that there was no trace of his body.
4 aug 2016
Hamas will not give up its conditions in projected prisoner swap deals with the Israeli occupation, Hamas leader Husam Badran said Wednesday.
Speaking in a program aired by al-Aqsa TV Channel, Badran said contacts by foreign parties have been underway to initiate talks over a new prisoner swap deal.
“Israel has to meet all of our conditions and release all of the re-captured arrestees of the Wafa al-Ahrar prisoner swap deal,” said Badran.
Commenting on local elections, Badran reiterated Hamas’s wishes that the polls would boost national partnership and give rise to a promising future on the Palestinian socio-political scene.
Speaking in a program aired by al-Aqsa TV Channel, Badran said contacts by foreign parties have been underway to initiate talks over a new prisoner swap deal.
“Israel has to meet all of our conditions and release all of the re-captured arrestees of the Wafa al-Ahrar prisoner swap deal,” said Badran.
Commenting on local elections, Badran reiterated Hamas’s wishes that the polls would boost national partnership and give rise to a promising future on the Palestinian socio-political scene.
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