Prominent Palestinian activist Khalida Jarrar freed in ceasefire prisoner exchange

Khalida Jarrar, a leading Palestinian activist and member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), was among 90 detainees released as part of a prisoner exchange following the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas.

Jarrar, a political leader and prominent advocate for human rights and feminist causes, had been held under administrative detention since December 2023, Caliber.Az reports via Israeli media.

Arrested from her home in Ramallah on allegations of "supporting terrorism," she was detained without charge or trial. Her detention was extended multiple times, and in August, she was placed in solitary confinement at Damon Prison, reportedly as a punitive measure.

During her imprisonment, Jarrar endured significant personal losses. Israeli authorities barred her from attending the funerals of her father, daughter, and nephew, all of whom passed away while she was in detention.

Videos shared on social media showed Jarrar being welcomed by a jubilant crowd of family members, including her husband, Ghassan Jarrar, and her surviving daughter, Yafa Jarrar.

Having spent 15 months in detention, including five months in a two-by-1.5-metre solitary cell, Jarrar appeared frail upon her release. Her conditions in detention were described as dire, with reports detailing extreme heat, limited air circulation, and inadequate living arrangements. 

She reportedly relied on five types of medication for blood pressure, diabetes, and cholesterol, with her health severely impacted by delays in receiving food and water.

Jarrar has long been a prominent figure in Palestinian politics and human rights advocacy. As a member of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC), she led the prisoners' committee and played a key role in Palestine’s accession to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in 2015.

She has been arrested multiple times over the past three decades, often under administrative detention, a controversial policy that permits imprisonment without charge or trial.

Her release is part of a broader deal expected to free over 1,000 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for 33 Israeli captives held in Gaza. The initial group of 90 released detainees comprises women and minors. Currently, Israel holds more than 10,400 Palestinian prisoners, while Hamas reportedly detains 96 Israelis in Gaza.

The exchange comes amid heightened tensions and international calls for an end to the violence in the region, where the ongoing conflict has inflicted devastating losses on both sides.

By Aghakazim Guliyev