DaysofPal- In a moment filled with emotion and anticipation, Ibtisam Kamel Emri, a 50-year-old Palestinian woman from Ramallah, is waiting anxiously for the release of her younger brother, who has spent the past 25 years in Israeli detention.
Speaking to Middle East Eye, Emri described the pain and longing that have marked her family’s life since her brother’s imprisonment.
“He’s my little brother, like my son, my love, and the light of my eyes. Only God knows how much we’ve suffered being apart from him. Only God knows how much we’ve hoped he’d be freed,” she said, her voice trembling.
Emri said the family had been told that her brother would be among the nearly 2,000 Palestinian detainees scheduled for release under the latest ceasefire and prisoner exchange deal between the Israeli occupation and Hamas.
However, they were also informed that public celebrations are prohibited, a restriction reportedly imposed on many families in the occupied West Bank.
“We said that’s fine. We just want our brother back. Our joy is in our hearts; we don’t need to show it off,” she added.
Holding back tears, Emri said the family still doesn’t know exactly when or where he will be released.
“We’re just waiting for God’s mercy… This has been one of the most difficult hours of my life.”
She reflected on how much has changed during his decades in prison:
“The whole world has changed. His mother died, his father died. His siblings grew up, his children got married, all the while he’s in prison.”
As families across the occupied Palestinian territories await the long-overdue reunions promised under the deal, stories like Emri’s capture the deep emotional toll of decades of separation, and the fragile hope for healing that the latest prisoner release may bring.
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