One of the heroes of the Gilboa Prison Freedom Tunnel operation, Palestinian prisoner Zakaria Al-Zubaidi, has achieved a master's degree from Birzeit University in the central West Bank.

Birzeit University said in a post on its official Facebook account that "Samira, the daughter of the captive student Zakaria Al-Zubaidi, received her father's graduation certificate from the Master's Program in Contemporary Arab Studies."

Birzeit University held its 47th annual graduation ceremony for students from the faculties of law, public administration, and graduate studies on Friday.

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Al-Zubaidi had enrolled in Birzeit University's MA degree in Contemporary Arab Studies when he was arrested in 2019 by Israeli occupation forces before discussing his graduation thesis.

On Saturday, Al-Zubaidi's master's thesis, entitled "The Hunter and the Dragon: Hunting in the Palestinian Experience 1968 - 2018", will be reviewed at Birzeit University.

Al-Zubaidi's thesis, which he finished while imprisoned, discusses the experience of Palestinians persecuted by Israeli occupation forces.

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Al-Zubaidi, who was born in the Jenin camp in 1976, speaks excellent Hebrew and is regarded as one of the most prominent commanders of the Fatah-affiliated Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigade.

Freedom tunnel 

The Gilboa prison hero was exposed to violence and abuse during his imprisonment. After liberating themselves from the prison, Al-Zubaidi and the remaining five were caught by the IOF. 

Al-Zubaidi was transferred to an Israeli hospital and given only painkillers following the arrest. He has bruises and scratches covering his body as a result of severe beatings.

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When Lawyer Avigdor Feldman visited Al-Zubaidi, the prisoner explained that over the four days they spent outside captivity, the escapees did not ask for help from anyone, out of concern for Palestinians in the occupied territories being punished by Israelis.

He also pointed out that they did not drink any water after their successful escape and only ate whatever fruits they found in orchards, such as figs and cacti. 

Despite the poor treatment and extremely harsh living conditions, Al-Zubaidi was able to achieve a master's degree from behind the occupation prison walls. His resilience shined through the cracks of closed metal doors. He proved that no bars or walls can stand in his way.

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