Freed Palestinian prisoners, the vanguard of the final victory.
Husameddin Haidari: The release of Palestinian prisoners from the prisons of the Zionist regime is always recognized as one of the turning points in the history of the Palestinian people’s struggles. This event was not only a legal and political victory for the resistance movements but also had a profound impact on the collective psyche of the Palestinian people and even the society oppressed by the Zionist regime. From the perspective of the Resistance Front, every released prisoner is a living messenger of the culture of sustainability and a reminder of the invincibility of the Palestinian cause.
Palestinian prisoners in the prisons of the Zionist regime, whether those who have been tortured in solitary confinement for years or teenagers who are arrested for throwing stones are symbols of honor and dignity in the eyes of the Palestinian people and the Islamic world. The release of these prisoners not only means the return of loved ones from the clutches of the enemy but also confirms the fact that resistance, even in the most difficult conditions, achieves results. Every liberation operation conveys the message to the young generation of Palestine that “resistance is ultimately victorious.”
The Zionist regime is imprisoning thousands of Palestinians without a fair trial in an attempt to break their morale, but each release brings new hope to families and young people. The images of the enthusiastic reception of released prisoners in the cities of Ramallah, Gaza, and Jenin not only strengthen national pride but also encourage the new generation to continue the struggle and resistance instead of surrendering. For example, after the prisoner exchange in 2011 (the Sheikh Ahmed Yassin deal), tens of thousands of Palestinians took to the streets chanting: “The road to Jerusalem passes through the prisons of the occupiers!”
The release of prisoners is an issue on which all Palestinian factions agree. This leads to a temporary unity of the Palestinian internal front and proves that the only way to achieve rights is through armed resistance and strong diplomacy. Even groups that previously differed on the methods of struggle stand shoulder to shoulder during the prisoner exchanges.
The Zionist regime has tried for decades to present itself as an “impregnable fortress” in the Middle East, but every time it is forced to release dozens of Palestinian prisoners in exchange for the release of its soldiers or spies (as in the case of “Gilead Shalit”), this false image crumbles. Zionist society, constantly exposed to its regime’s security propaganda, is gradually accepting that even the most powerful security institutions cannot withstand the will of the Palestinian resistance.
The release of Palestinian prisoners, especially those who participated in military operations, creates a wave of fear in the illegal Zionist settlements. Hebrew-language media often report that settlers warn of “intensification of resistance attacks” after each prisoner exchange. This fear affects daily life and intensifies the reverse migration of some settlers to Europe or the United States.
Every prisoner exchange in Israel turns into a heated debate between extreme right-wing parties and seemingly moderate currents. Rightists like Benjamin Netanyahu and Itamar Ben-Giver call the release of prisoners a “surrender to terrorism,” while others are forced to negotiate to maintain international face. This contradiction increases Zionists’ distrust of their regime and sometimes leads to street protests (such as gatherings in front of the Prime Minister’s Palace).
Although Zionist propaganda tries to demonize the image of Palestinian prisoners, their release, especially of women and children, sometimes strongly affects world public opinion. The publication of images of prisoners with signs of torture on their bodies confronts Zionist society with the question: “Is this the same government that claims democracy and human rights?” Even in the occupied territories, human rights groups such as B’Tselem sometimes report on inhumane prison conditions, a matter that further exposes the moral scandal of the ruling regime.
The historic Gilad Shalit swap in 2011, in which Israel was forced to release 1,027 Palestinian prisoners, including prominent figures such as Ahmed Saadat, was a turning point in the history of the Palestinian struggle. The event not only boosted Hamas’s popularity in the West Bank and Gaza but also showed how vulnerable Tel Aviv was to the return of its prisoners.
Following the swap, polls in Israel showed that 72 percent of citizens believed that the deal had boosted Palestinian morale. On the other hand, Zionist media outlets such as Haaretz admitted that this strategic failure cast a heavy shadow over the right-wing government’s security slogans, but now their situation is even worse because they are forced to come to terms with the very epic they had promised to destroy.
The release of Palestinian prisoners, whether through exchange or armed resistance, is the link between past and future struggles. On the one hand, these events strengthen the spirit of resistance, especially among the younger generation, and on the other hand, they confront the sick body of Zionist society with security and moral doubts. Historical experience has shown that no security wall and no weapon of progress can withstand the will to fight for freedom. Palestine is alive, and every prisoner who returns to the embrace of the homeland is a harbinger of the dawn of the day when the flag of resistance will fly over the roof of Jerusalem.