OCCUPIED JERUSALEM, (PIC)
Amani Al Hashim, a mother of two, was held captive by the Israeli occupation since December 13, 2016, after being shot while driving her car at the Qalandia military checkpoint north of Jerusalem. She was sentenced to 10 years in prison.
The liberated prisoner, Amani, who was released as part of an exchange deal with the Islamic Resistance Movement – Hamas, on Friday, expressed indescribable feeling of relief. She struggled to find words to translate the moments of freedom, saying, “I feel like I’m in a dream, surrounded by my family and in my home with my children.”
The freed prisoner spoke about the “double pain and constant ache” during her period of detention, saying, “I used to think about my children and their study, wondering what they were doing. I would see them behind glass during visits, growing up, and I couldn’t touch them. That was a great pain.”
She pointed out that children above 8 years old are deprived of open visits with their parents, limited to 10 minutes, adding, “During visits, I would show a smile to my child, and when the visit ended, I would suffocate (crying all the time) in prison.”
She said, “I haven’t touched my children for a long time. I haven’t smelled them. They grew up quickly while the occupation steals the happiest family moments and feelings during years of imprisonment.”
Amani recalls that one of the saddest moments for her was when her 3-year-old son, Adam, visited her and asked from behind the glass, “What’s your name, Mama?”
She expected the deal since October 7th when Israeli oppressive forces entered the women’s prison rooms, suppressing them with beatings and gas, and seizing all their personal belongings.
Amani mentioned that she learned about the deal’s date on Friday morning, and she was transferred from Damon Prison to the Moskobiya Prison in Jerusalem, where her father was waiting for her. “Your father is waiting for you outside, to go home,” Amani said was the most beautiful phrase she heard throughout her prison period.
She continued that news from Gaza occupied the thoughts of the female prisoners. She said, “Immediately upon my release, I started asking about our people in Gaza. The number of martyrs is large. May God have mercy on our martyrs and heal our wounded.”
It’s worth noting that the Israeli occupation authorities summoned the families of the released prisoners and imposed restrictions on them, including preventing celebrations of the release, and even confiscated sweets from Amani’s house.
