'The hostages meant I got out': Freed Palestinian prisoner welcomes Gaza deal

Bushra al-Tawil, a 32-year-old journalist, has recently regained her freedom after being detained without charge since March 2024. On her first day out of prison, she was filled with joy as she sat in her family’s apartment in Ramallah, sipping coffee and looking forward to a delicious lunch. 'In prison, it was just hummus, hummus, hummus. Now, I can have something different,' she joked, reflecting on her time behind bars. The atmosphere in the kitchen was filled with warmth as family members and friends embraced her, especially her mother, who was overjoyed to have her only daughter back home. Bushra's release was made possible by a ceasefire deal in Gaza, which allowed Hamas to start releasing hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails. Over the years, Bushra has spent more than five years in Israeli prisons at various times, always without being formally charged, except for one instance when she faced prosecution for a speech she delivered at a mosque. 'I am a journalist,' she asserted. 'I have the right to express myself. ' The West Bank erupted in celebration as two buses arrived carrying 90 released Palestinian prisoners, marking a significant moment of relief and joy for many. Bushra has experienced prisoner exchanges before; in 2011, she was released alongside 1,000 other Palestinian prisoners as part of a deal to free Gilad Shalit, an Israeli soldier who had been held hostage in Gaza for over five years. However, shortly after that exchange, she was rearrested by Israeli forces. During her time in detention, Bushra endured severe mistreatment, including physical abuse and threats. She recounted being beaten, threatened with gun violence, and having a cigarette stubbed out on her back. 'The worst thing was not being allowed to wear my headscarf,' she recalled. 'And when we first entered the prison, I was made to strip naked. ' The Israeli prison service maintains that all prisoners are treated according to the law, but many human rights organizations have raised concerns about the treatment of detainees. The recent release of prisoners was part of a broader agreement that also saw Israeli hostage Romi Gonen and two other women freed by Hamas. After her release, Romi was seen embracing her family at Sheba Medical Center near Tel Aviv, a heartwarming reunion after her ordeal. Bushra, a conservative Muslim, has a picture of her father, Jamal al-Tawil, displayed prominently in her living room. He is a notable Hamas politician who has spent over 19 years in an Israeli prison. When asked about her support for Hamas, Bushra chose not to answer directly, stating, 'I don't want to be rearrested. ' She was also asked if she felt any sympathy for the three Israeli hostages who were released after being held captive by Hamas for more than a year. 'We got to return back home, and they got to go back home,' she said. 'The hostages meant I got out. As long as there are hostages, prisoners like me will get their freedom. ' Looking ahead, around 1,800 more Palestinian prisoners are expected to be released in exchange for 30 additional Israeli hostages. Some of these prisoners have been convicted of serious crimes, including multiple murders, and may be deported to countries like Qatar and Turkey. However, all of the Palestinians released recently, including several children, were convicted of relatively minor offenses. Many, like Bushra, were never charged at all and were held under a controversial process known as 'administrative detention,' which has drawn strong condemnation from human rights advocates. The Israeli military argues that it often cannot disclose details of the charges against detainees, even to their lawyers, citing security concerns and the need to protect the identities of informants. The situation remains complex and fraught with tension, as families on both sides await the outcomes of ongoing negotiations and the fates of those still imprisoned.