Palestinian prisoners on Eid day: Seeing light in the heart of darkness

“You have no idea how it feels like to have a son of your own incarcerated behind Israeli bars while Muslims in other corners of the globe are marking the holy Eid al-Fitr,” a prisoner’s mother said as her eyes shed the tears of bitterness and sorrow.

Speaking to a PIC journalist, Hajja Eisha lamented the tragic state of affairs endured by her son Udai Estiti, locked up in the solitary lock-down of Eshel.

“This year we marked the Eid with deep sadness overwhelming our hearts and souls,” she said.

“How on earth can we enjoy ourselves while our son is starving? How can we enjoy family gatherings while our son is living on drops of water?” she wondered.

“My son is one among thousands of others languishing in Israeli jails”, Estiti’s father said. “The hearts of at least 6,000 prisoners’ families are just as broken on the Eid day.”

Not so far from Estiti’s family home, the family of prisoner Abu Mos’ab voiced their great sorrow over the excruciating experience endured by their son for the 40th Eid.

“My husband has been held for over 15 years in Israeli prisons,” Mos’ab’s wife said with a heart-wrenching tone. “The wounds inflicted by Mos’ab’s absence on the Eid day can only be healed by his release.”

Over 6,000 Palestinian detainees are marking Muslims’ Holy Eid al-Fitr in Israeli jails.

An iron will shows on their faces and is echoed in their brave-pitched voices as they chanted “Allah the Greatest” in congregation.

“As long as there’s life, there’s hope,” a prisoner yelled from behind the bars.