At least 154 Palestinian prisoners scheduled to be released on Monday as part of an exchange for Israeli prisoners held in Gaza will be forced into exile by the occupation regime, according to the Palestinian Prisoners of War Media Agency.
Those facing deportation are among a large gathering of Palestinians being released by Israel. They include 250 people imprisoned in Israeli prisons, along with about 1,700 Palestinians taken from the Gaza Strip during Israel’s two-year genocidal campaign, many of whom have been reported as “enforced disappearances,” according to a UN statement.
Following a ceasefire agreement in Gaza, Hamas and Palestinian factions have released 20 living Israeli prisoners.
At this time, there is no information available on the destination of the freed Palestinians. However, during the last prisoner release in January, dozens of detainees were sent to various countries in the region, including Tunisia, Algeria and Türkiye.
Observers said the forced expulsions were a blatant violation of the civil rights of released prisoners and an example of double standards related to exchange agreements.
“Obviously it’s illegal,” Tamer Karmut, associate professor of public policy at Doha Graduate University, told Al Jazeera TV News Network.
He added: “This is illegal because they are Palestinian citizens. They have no other nationality. They are coming out of a small prison, but they are being sent to a bigger prison, they are separated from society, they are sent to a new country and they face huge restrictions. This is inhumane.”
The family of Palestinian detainee Mohammed Imran has expressed surprise to learn that he is one of those whom Israel has chosen for forced exile.
Raed Imran said his family received a call from an Israeli intelligence agent beforehand, confirming that his 43-year-old brother would be released and asking about his accommodation upon his release.
But on Monday, the family was heartbroken to learn that Mr. Mohammed, who was arrested and sentenced to 13 life sentences in December 2022, will be deported.
“Today’s news was shocking, but we are still waiting. Maybe we will meet him in some form,” Imran said. “What is important is that he is released, whether at home or abroad.”
MNA/