Exclusive: PIJ prisoners send message on Freedom Tunnel anniversary

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The battle is far from over, and the Israeli occupation is waging a relentless war against the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) movement, the PIJ prisoners held in the Israeli occupation's prisons said in an exclusive letter to Al Mayadeen on Tuesday.

"The latest aggression on Gaza is not over; it is still ongoing in the West Bank, Jenin, and Nablus," the prisoners said.

They also revealed that all PIJ prisoners are constantly subjected to abuse in the Israeli occupation's prisons. However, "we will continue our struggle. We will not grow tired or bored," they stressed.

The prisoners also lauded Al Mayadeen for its work and efforts regarding the cause of Palestinian prisoners, saying "the prisoners of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad salute Al Mayadeen network."

Operation Freedom Tunnel a turning point

The Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement hailed Tuesday the heroes that executed Operation Freedom Tunnel, lauding their sacrifices and heroic acts that they said would always serve as a badge of honor and a source of pride for the Palestinian, Arab, and Islamic peoples.

On September 6, 2021, six Palestinian prisoners, succeeded in snatching their freedom from Gilboa Prison in Operation Freedom Tunnel until the IOF arrested them on September 19th. Mahmoud Al-Aridah, Zakaria Al-Zubaidi, Yaqoub Qadri, Mohammad Al-Aridah, and Munadel Nafi'at have since been regarded as national heroes and hailed for their actions.

"The sacrifices the prisoners are making are themselves an advanced form of confrontation with the Zionist enemy, and they will not go to waste," the PIJ said.

The first anniversary of Operation Freedom Tunnel coincides with the victory of hunger-striking Palestinian prisoner Khalil Awawdeh, who was able to garner his freedom through nearly six long months of agonizing hunger strike that left him debilitated. "This coincidence clearly indicates that the confrontation is still ongoing and that the battle will only be over once the Israeli occupation is eradicated and the land of Palestine is free."

"The Palestinian people and their resistance will remain loyal to the prisoners and their sacrifices," the PIJ said, stressing that "the resistance will continue its work and endeavor with all it has to liberate the prisoners."

The Israeli occupation currently has about 4,550 Palestinians incarcerated, including 31 female prisoners, 175 minors, and more than 700 administrative detainees - the highest number since 2008.

The Israeli occupation's measures against prisoners are going hand in hand with similar measures and arbitrary practices outside in the occupied West Bank. This prompted the military affairs correspondent for the Israeli Channel 12, Nir Dvory, to confirm that "the activities of the Israeli occupation forces in the West Bank have become very extensive in light of the warnings, recent events, and Palestinians' continued attempts to carry out operations."

"It has been assessed that things in the West Bank may intensify, as we see that when operations succeed, there are those who try to imitate them," Dvory added.