Round us, a cacophony of sound – the wails of sirens blended with chants, shouts and revving engines.
Ramallah isn’t a quiet metropolis however at the moment, right here in its coronary heart, it was frenetic.
Forward of us, three coaches edged their manner by means of the crowds, accompanied by motorbikes and Palestinian cops, pushing folks out of the way in which.
And on board, peeking out of the home windows, dozens of people about to walk into freedom.
As they left the coaches, the air was punched and cheers rang out.
Every of those males – they have been all males – had been convicted by an Israeli courtroom of significant offences, together with tried homicide and terrorism.
And but right here they have been, leaving the coaches, absorbing the acclaim of the West Bank’s largest metropolis.
Their freedom is likely one of the costs Israel is paying to reclaim its hostages.
Because the coaches got here previous, we met Safia, who was ready for her son Ismail to reach.
He had been convicted of tried homicide; within the eyes of Israelis, her son was a harmful legal however to those that had gathered to welcome these males, they have been political prisoners, lastly launched.
Safia, a frail, quick lady, dropped to her knees to wish because the coach rolled previous, thanking God for her son’s return.
Safia dropped to her knees to wish as her son, Ismail, arrived again from an Israeli jail
The prisoners’ journey had began on the opposite aspect of Ramallah when their coaches have been ushered away from an Israeli jail as a part of a convoy of army automobiles.
We, together with different journalists and a gaggle of curious locals, had been watching the jail from a close-by ridge after we noticed a convoy forming.
That point, there have been no coaches, however a few of the automobiles got here as much as the ridge to drive us to maneuver.
We moved to a different location and noticed tear fuel getting used on the finish of the road.
After which, far sooner than predicted, we noticed the coaches being pushed alongside the road and away from the jail.
Extra tear fuel was fired.
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Celebrations as launched prisoners arrive
It took greater than an hour for the coaches to succeed in the center of Ramallah, for the boys inside to be freed.
They emerged sporting gray tracksuits equipped by the Israeli jail service.
Many appeared exhausted and haggard after lengthy years in jail.
Ahmad Musa, who had served almost half of a 27-year sentence for tried homicide, rolled up his leg to indicate me the place he had been shackled.
Learn extra:
Prisoners and hostages released as part of ceasefire deal
Who are the hostages who haven’t returned home?
Revealed: The Hamas-backed plan for Gaza’s future
He claimed he’d been overwhelmed usually in jail “out of sight of the cameras” and that the beatings had continued till virtually the hour he left.
“Prisoners in Israeli prisons are coping with the worst situations,” he mentioned.
“My message to all Palestinian folks, wherever they’re, together with in Gaza, West Financial institution and overseas, is that you’ve got mastered the artwork of making pleasure, regardless of the hardship and genocide.”
There are lots of in Israel who discover this pleasure laborious to abdomen, and who’re livid that males convicted of involvement in homicide at the moment are free to stroll the streets of the West Financial institution.
However that’s the worth Israel has agreed to pay to get again its hostages.
Palestinian prisoners launched by Israel have been met by large crowds within the Ramallah
Equally, there isn’t a scarcity of human rights organisations who imagine that Israel has repeatedly handed out prolonged sentences on the premise of proof that’s slender and unreliable; that a few of these prisoners should not have been behind bars within the first place.
As ever on this area, it’s desperately troublesome to discover a completely satisfied medium.
And so the celebrations proceed in Ramallah, whereas the debates rumble on elsewhere.
Mechanical engineer Mohammad Daraghmeh
Over the street, Mohammad Daraghmeh is watching with a smile.
A mechanical engineer from Jenin, he tells me that the discharge of the prisoners represents “the candy scent of freedom”.
“Are they heroes to you?” I ask, and he smiles and shrugs as if it is a ridiculous query.
“Oh sure, they’re. However they’re extra than simply heroes – they’ve given us hope. It’s a victory over Israel.”
It’s, he says, a superb day. An incredible day. However what comes subsequent, I ponder, for him?
A pause.
“The way forward for the West Financial institution is an efficient query,” says Muhammad. “I believe the longer term goes to be extra disappointment for us due to the Israeli occupation.”
“Are you scared?” I ask.
“Sure, in fact,” comes the reply.
“After all.”
