The number of Palestinians in Israeli jails for more than 25 years has reached 27

Twenty-seven Palestinians have now served more than 25 years in Israeli jails. This figure was released by the High National Committee for Prisoners after a prisoner from Gaza passed the 25 years mark. According to the Committee’s statement, Ghazi Jumaa Mohamed Al-Nems, 52, from the Sabra district of Gaza, has been in detention since the 30th of November, 1985; he is serving three life sentences.

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Mr. Al-Nems is one of the leaders of the Palestinian Prisoners’ Movement and his mother, Hajja Fatma, passed away in March 2009 having been unable to see him for eight years. Her hopes that her son might be released in a possible prisoner swap for the Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit were not realised.

She had prepared and decorated his room and chosen a bride for him, but the Israeli government’s procrastination hindered the completion of the prisoner swap deal. Umm Ghazi (the mother of Ghazi) was dedicated to activities and events related to prisoners’ welfare, especially a weekly strike in the offices of the International Committee of the Red Cross in Gaza.

The list of Palestinian prisoners who have served more than quarter a century in Israeli jails includes four from the territories occupied in 1948, two from Jerusalem, four from the Gaza Strip, one with other Arab nationality and sixteen from the West Bank.