Emotional Homecoming: Palestinian Daughters Reunion with Imprisoned Father

In a heartfelt scene in Ramallah, daughters Raghad and Hedaya embraced their father for the first time after 22 years apart, following the release of Palestinian prisoners from Israeli detention amid a fragile ceasefire.

In Ramallah, jubilant scenes unfolded as approximately 60 Palestinian prisoners were released from Israeli detention, including Hussain Nassar, who reunited with his daughters, Raghad and Hedaya, for the first time in over two decades. The emotional event saw the girls, adorned in colorful traditional dresses from their hometown of Nablus, expressing their overwhelming joy at finally meeting their father. Raghad, who had never known her father due to his arrest while her mother was pregnant with her, shared, "This is the first time I will touch him. I will hug him. I cannot express my feelings."

Among the 110 prisoners released, several were women and children, while 21 individuals convicted of serious offenses faced exile to Egypt and neighboring countries rather than returning to the Palestinian Territories. Notably, Zakaria Zubeidi, a former commander linked to the deaths of Israelis, was greeted with fervent support as he was carried aloft by jubilant crowds.

Governor of Ramallah and El Bireh, Dr. Leila Abu Ghanam, celebrated the moment while expressing concern for the ongoing military operations in the northern West Bank, stating, "All Palestinians are happy about the release of the prisoners but we're sad about what is happening in the provinces at this very moment." As the fragile ceasefire persists, anticipation grows for the next wave of prisoner releases scheduled for Saturday and the continued dialogue regarding peace in the region.