They expressed their appreciation for Egypt's efforts in securing the release of prisoners and supporting their rights in all human rights organisations and international forums, affirming that Egypt is the pillar, the source of strength, and the symbol of national unity.
This support stands in the face of the systematic, retaliatory, and genocidal war, and the policies of slow execution practised by the Israeli occupation state, which seeks to liquidate the Palestinian cause.
The prisoners also commended Egypt’s firm stance against any attempt to liquidate the Palestinian cause or forcibly displace the people of Gaza. They hailed Egypt’s ceasefire efforts, emphasizing that Egyptians are “owners of the cause,” not just mediators.
These remarks were delivered during a seminar held on Tuesday by the General Secretariat of the League of Arab States, under the patronage of Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit, and in cooperation with the Permanent Delegation of Palestine to the League.
The event was attended by representatives of Arab member states, including the Assistant Secretary-General for Media Affairs, Ambassador Ahmed Khattabi, and the Permanent Representative of the State of Palestine to the Arab League, Ambassador Muhannad Al-Aklouk.
Additionally, a large number of representatives from international and human rights organizations, Arab and foreign ambassadors accredited to Egypt, civil society institutions, and a selection of legal experts and academics.
The former prisoners underscored the central role of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) as the internationally recognised representative of the Palestinian people, stressing that the occupation’s declared war on them will not break their will but will instead strengthen their resolve.
The seminar presented live testimonies detailing the suffering of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails, including ongoing violations, brutal torture, starvation, and systematic medical neglect.
Speakers revealed that the number of detainees has risen sharply—from 4,000 before 7 October to approximately 10,000 today—most of whom were arrested after the attacks, including large numbers of administrative detainees, in addition to around 3,000 prisoners from the Gaza Strip.
The event also featured a documentary film spotlighting the suffering of detainees and exposing the extensive Israeli violations committed against them.
Ambassador Faed Mustafa, Assistant Secretary-General for Palestine and the Occupied Arab Territories Affairs at the Arab League, affirmed the General Secretariat’s support and commitment to the issue of Palestinian prisoners until their liberation and reintegration into their society through all political, diplomatic, legal, and media means and capabilities.
He stated that the Arab League gives extreme attention to the issue of Palestinian and Arab prisoners in Israeli jails, based on national commitment and the centrality of the Palestinian cause to all Arabs.
For his part, Ambassador Al-Aklouk, Palestine's Permanent Representative to the Arab League, called on the International Committee of the Red Cross, UN organizations, and all human rights bodies for a genuine stand that goes beyond statements. He urged immediate pressure on Israel to stop the violations inside prisons, reveal the whereabouts of the forcibly disappeared, and secure international protection for prisoners, especially children, women, and the sick.
He also expressed rejection of and demanded a halt to the "execution bill," considering it a serious violation of international law. He demanded that the International Criminal Court issue an arrest warrant for the criminal minister Ben-Gvir for his crimes against Palestinian prisoners, considering them war crimes and crimes against humanity according to the Court's basic statute.
Ambassador Al-Aklouk quoted President Mahmoud Abbas, who affirms that there will be no peace without the release of all prisoners and detainees, and that no final peace agreement will be signed with Israel without emptying Israeli prisons of Palestinian detainees, whom he always describes as freedom fighters who must enjoy the desired freedom.
He stressed that what the prisoners are subjected to due to Israeli policies is a slow execution that requires the intervention of international bodies and organisations to protect them.
The Palestinian representative added that this is a special day as "heroes of freedom" are participating with them for the first time from the headquarters of the Arab League and on the land Egypt, the "pillar, source of strength, and symbol of national unity."
He reaffirmed their determination to continue the struggle until the establishment of their independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital, expressing appreciation for Egypt's efforts in releasing the heroic prisoners and supporting their rights.
Former Minister of Prisoners' Affairs, Hisham Abdelrazek, called for the adoption of an Arab strategy to support prisoners in occupation jails, stating that the issue requires everyone's cooperation in setting a real action plan commensurate with the scale of challenges facing the prisoners' movement, which has escalated under the far-right Israeli government.
The freed prisoners, Ahmed Salim and Nader Sadaqa, spoke about the reality of the prisoners before and after 7 October and the punishments imposed on them from the first moment of the aggression on Gaza.
They detailed the occupation prison administration’s policies of starvation, which severely affected prisoners’ physical and psychological health, as well as policies of murder and extreme torture, resulting in the deaths of some prisoners inside the jails.
They praised the prisoners' mutual support and steadfastness in the face of the occupier's policies, which include continuous searches, long hours of section closures, and imposing collective fines and punishments aimed at exhausting them psychologically and morally, while also lauding Egypt's pioneering role in advocating for the prisoners across all forums.
The freed prisoner Samer Mahroum, who spent 37 years in Israeli prisons with a life sentence, arrived in Egypt and expressed his appreciation for its historic support for the Palestinian cause and the prisoners.
He reiterated that the current suffering of prisoners after 7 October is beyond imagination, stating that Israel's attempts to portray itself as "civilized" have failed, exposing its "ugly and clear face," and affirming that the Palestinian people are indeed people of civilization.
He commended Egypt's ceasefire efforts, viewing Egyptians as "owners of the cause," emphasizing that Egypt's decisions ultimately protect the Palestinian people from displacement and do not facilitate the occupier's mission.
He called on the Palestinian leadership to rise to the "level of the people's sacrifices" and achieve unity under the PLO.
Former prisoner Mohamed Al-Tous, who spent 40 years in Israeli jails, described the worsening conditions faced by detainees, including severe overcrowding, poor-quality food, lack of personal belongings, and inadequate hygiene. He stressed that every minute in prison feels like a year due to the occupation’s racist policies.
Al-Tous emphasized the urgent need to support the morale of both detainees and their families. He also stressed the necessity of defending the rights of male and female prisoners against Israeli abuses and terror, which reflects the system's brutality, demanding that Arab states support and embrace the prisoners to ensure a decent life for them.
Prisoner Ramzi Obaid explained that Israel’s policy relies on a calculated system of depriving prisoners of necessities while maintaining continuous pressure to break their will, in clear violation of international humanitarian law and the Geneva Conventions.
He noted the sharp increase in detainees since 7 October, including 3,368 administrative detainees, and reported that 81 prisoners have died since the start of the war, marking this period as the deadliest for Palestinian prisoners since 1967.
Prisoner Majed Al-Masri highlighted the ugly, criminal, and brutal face of the occupation state, describing how Israel deliberately created disease-ridden conditions in prisons over the past two years through overcrowding and medical neglect. He stressed the urgent need to unify all efforts to defend Palestinian detainees.
Prisoner Ammar Al-Ziben spoke about the various forms of torture and persecution faced by Palestinian detainees, asserting that Israel is the only state to have codified the torture of prisoners into its legal system for electoral purposes and to break the will of those embodying the spirit of Palestinian resistance.
Prisoner Raed Abduljalil highlighted the Palestinian leadership’s strong commitment to the prisoners’ cause, noting that President Mahmoud Abbas’s speech at the UN emphasized that there can be no peace or stability without the release of all prisoners.
Prisoner Nihad Sbeih stressed that each case of a martyred prisoner exposes the occupation’s deliberate policies to dehumanize Palestinians and violate their fundamental rights—not only during their lives but even after death—through the detention, mutilation, and denial of proper burial of the bodies of martyrs.
Prisoner Mansour Shreim called on the international community to hold Israel accountable for its crimes against the Palestinian people, particularly the prisoners. He urged the formation of an Arab-international committee to document violations against deported prisoners and to ensure an active Arab role in providing them support.
Prisoner Kamel Abu Hanish called for intensifying media efforts and comprehensively documenting the stories of released detainees, demanding that detailed reports be submitted to international bodies, including the Red Cross and the UN Human Rights Council, to demand an immediate and public investigation into these violations.
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