The Palestinian Prisoners Center for Studies confirmed Monday that the 250 prisoners from the longest-serving prisoners have been in the Israeli occupation prison for at least 40 Eids, and at most 84 Eids away from their families and loved ones.

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The Center said that "holidays and events ameliorate the wounds of thousands of children and mothers, but this wound is reopened, longing is observed, smiles wither away, and the pain of parting becomes a heavy burden on their hearts as their loved ones remain behind the occupation bars."

In addition, the Palestinian Prisoners Center added that the "joy of Eid did not enter the homes of hundreds of long-serving prisoners' homes for many years, specifically [the homes] of those who spent more than 20 years in the occupation's prisoners, hoping that each year will be different than the previous ones."

Riyad Al-Ashqar, the director of the center, indicated that there are "250 prisoners, the least of whom spent 20 years in the occupation prisons - that entails that 40 consecutive Eids have passed without one of them being able to meet his family on one table or kiss the hand of his father or mother from those who remain alive, as hundreds of them have lost their loved ones [over the years]. They are still living in captivity."

Al-Ashqar added that “dozens of the prisoners have sons who dream, every year, of [their fathers] taking them shopping to buy clothes, games, and Eid necessities. The occupation derives joy from seeing sadness covering their features.”

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According to Al-Ashqar, there are 17 prisoners who have been detained for over 30 years - the oldest of whom are Karim and Maher Younes, detained since 1983. 

38 prisoners have been detained for more than 25 years - a quarter of a century - recalled Nael Al-Barghouti from Ramallah, who was imprisoned for 42 years. 

"Like most long-serving prisoners, there are 25 prisoners that have been detained since before the Oslo agreement that the Palestinian Authority signed with the Israeli occupation in 1994. The current prisoners are the remaining prisoners who were arrested during the years of the First Intifada and before, and they were all supposed to be released with the first batch."

Al-Ashqar called on the Palestinian people and their national and Islamic factions to raise the morale of the prisoners and their families by visiting the homes of the prisoners and their families on Eid. 

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