DaysofPal- For journalist and former prisoner Hamza Radwan, leaving an Israeli jail after over a year of detention was nothing short of a “new birth.”
In his own words, it marked a historic moment unmatched by any joy—a stark contrast to the harrowing experience he endured inside the confines of Israeli occupation dungeons.
From Freedom to Captivity
On November 16, 2023, Radwan’s life took a dramatic turn when what he thought was a safe journey south turned into a nightmare.
Accompanied by his wife and their toddler, Radwan left the Sheikh Radwan neighborhood west of Gaza City for the southern part of the Strip, believing it to be a “safe zone,” as claimed by the Israeli occupation army. However, this so-called safe haven proved to be anything but.
At the Netzarim checkpoint in the heart of the Gaza Strip, Radwan fell into a trap set by the Israeli occupation forces. Over loudspeakers, an officer called out for “Hamza,” luring him into what seemed like a routine inspection. Instead, the officer detained him, ordering his wife to continue onward with their child, who was barely a year and a half old at the time.
Radwan recounts how he was arrested unlawfully, stripped of his clothes, and left in his underwear amidst freezing temperatures.
For hours, he endured severe beatings and degrading treatment while seated on a rocky ground with his hands tied. That day, which Radwan describes as “black,” culminated in his transfer to a makeshift detention center near Gaza, where he was thrown into a barrack alongside other prisoners.
A Year of Torture and Uncertainty
During his captivity, Radwan faced relentless interrogations accompanied by physical abuse. He brought before a judge three times and learned there were no formal charges against him.
Yet, each time, the court extended his detention until the end of the war. On the final occasion, the judge accused him of belonging to a “terrorist organization”—a baseless claim rooted in Israel’s view of Palestinian journalists as enemies simply for highlighting the Palestinian cause.
Radwan explains, “The Israeli occupation considers anyone working in the media field an adversary because we expose their crimes and advocate for justice.”
Hope Amid Suffering
As months dragged on, news trickled in through lawyers about international pressure mounting for a prisoner exchange deal between the Palestinian resistance and the Israeli occupation.
This fueled hope among detainees, including Radwan, whose spirits soared upon hearing whispers of an impending agreement.
Despite contracting a skin disease during his imprisonment—a condition left untreated by the authorities—Radwan clung to optimism.
He recalls counting down the days, then hours, and finally minutes until his release. When his name was called among those set to leave in the seventh batch, Radwan described the moment as transformative: “It felt like emerging from the cemetery of Israeli occupation into a world of light and freedom.”
A Call for Justice
Though free himself, Radwan remains deeply concerned about the plight of fellow prisoners still languishing behind bars.
In a heartfelt plea, he emphasizes the urgent need to prioritize their cause. “They are suffering unimaginable torture—starvation, beatings, diseases without medical care,” he says. “Their voices must not go unheard. We must work tirelessly until every last prison is emptied.”
For Hamza Radwan, leaving prison was indeed a rebirth, but his story serves as a sobering reminder of the countless others still trapped in the darkness of Israeli occupation.
Their liberation, he insists, must become the world’s shared mission.
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