Ramallah: Israel released 90 Palestinian prisoners under a ceasefire and prisoner swap agreement that suspended Tel Aviv's genocidal war on the Gaza Strip. Leading among the freed prisoners is leftist Palestinian politician and human rights advocate Khalida Jarrar. Born on February 9, 1963, in the West Bank city of Nablus, Jarrar is a leading member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP). A mother of two, she holds a master's degree in political science from Birzeit University, north of Ramallah in the West Bank. She served as the director of Addameer Prisoners' Support and Human Rights Association from 1994 to 2006. Jarrar was elected as a member of the Palestinian Legislative Council during the last parliamentary elections held in 2006, where she led the assembly's Prisoners Commission. She was also appointed to the Palestinian National Committee for the follow-up of the International Criminal Court (ICC).
According to Anadolu Agency, Jarrar and her husband, Ghassan Jarrar, have spent long years in Israeli prisons under Tel Aviv's policy of administrative detention. She has been an active supporter of Palestinian rights against the Israeli occupation since the late 1980s. Jarrar faced several arrests by the Israeli army due to accusations concerning her affiliation with an 'outlawed' party and her role in activities supporting Palestinian detainees in Israeli jails. Despite being arrested numerous times, including in 2016, 2017, and again in 2019, her commitment to defending the rights of Palestinian prisoners remained unwavering. Her most recent detention began on December 26, 2023, following the onset of Israel's war on the Gaza Strip, ending with her release on January 19.
During the ceasefire negotiations, the Palestinian resistance group Hamas insisted on Jarrar's release as part of any swap agreement, acknowledging her years-long struggle against the Israeli occupation. While imprisoned, Jarrar faced solitary confinement as a punitive measure and experienced mistreatment by prison authorities, according to prisoners' affairs groups. Estimates suggest that over 11,000 Palestinian detainees are held in Israeli prisons. Alongside the release of Palestinian prisoners, Hamas freed three Israeli captives under the ceasefire deal, which commenced on Sunday. The three-phase deal includes a prisoner exchange and sustained calm, aiming for a permanent truce and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.
Nearly 47,000 Palestinians, predominantly women and children, have died, and over 110,700 others have been injured during Israel's war on Gaza, as reported by local health authorities. The conflict has resulted in more than 11,000 missing persons, widespread destruction, and a severe humanitarian crisis. In November, the ICC issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza. Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice regarding its actions in the enclave.