As part of the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, Amir Abu Raddaha was freed from Israeli prison after 23 years. He spoke to Mondoweiss about his time behind bars, and the horrific conditions of Palestinian prisoners since October 7.

Families of Palestinian prisoners are kept in the dark about the fate of their loved ones at a time when Israeli prison authorities are creating conditions unfit for human life.

Palestinian political prisoner Salah Hammouri writes from Ofer prison, “I know that the love of a homeland is an unrequited love, bringing only hurt, pain, and loss. It has robbed me of the most beautiful years of my life and stolen from me my adolescence and youth. It forced me to grow up quickly, living always beyond my years. Yet I love my homeland still, knowing that even if we do everything we can for it, our country will still only ask “what more can you give?”

It is a zero-sum-equation in the calculations of most people, and I understand this. But for me (my preference), a real life is not waiting at the station for the train of freedom to arrive, but being on the train itself, no matter the sacrifice.”