“The price of my freedom is the blood of the Palestinian people,” regrets the youngest prisoner released by Israel

Ahmed Salaymeh is the youngest Palestinian prisoner released by Israel in exchange for hostages. franceinfo met him.

In the Salaymeh family house in Jerusalem, there are people: aunts, uncle, grandmother, cousins… Everyone has come to greet Ahmed. At 14 years old, with a thin face and frail body, he is the youngest of the Palestinian detainees released in recent days, in exchange for Israeli hostages.

In total, around 200 Palestinians have been released from prison since last Friday, including many minors, who were able to reunite with their families after months behind bars. “Of course I’m free, I’m happysmiled the teenager. But deep down, I can’t be too happy about it.”

“The price of my freedom is the blood of the Palestinian people. There are all these dead in Gaza, all these wounded, all those who have lost their homes. Peace to their souls and may God protect them.”

Ahmed Salaymeh, 14 years old

at franceinfo

Ahmed already speaks like an adult, but he has difficulty staying still. His arrest dates back to May 17. He is accused, with two of his cousins, of having thrown stones at a settler in this district of Silwan, and is sentenced to seven months in prison.

“I couldn’t even go to my big brother’s wedding”

A few days later, it was his brother, Ayham, who was arrested in turn, for the same reason. Today, he is still under house arrest. He is 13 years old. “I just stay here, so I play on my phone. If I want to buy something, I have to ask other people. And I couldn’t even go to my big brother’s wedding.”

With Ahmed in prison, Ayham under house arrest, Nawaf, the father, admits: the family’s entire life has been turned upside down. “Not just the children, we feel imprisoned too. Children should just go to school, they should live their lives.”

On the sofa opposite, Nassiyeh, the grandmother of the two boys, explains what it means to live under occupation. She says that when Ahmed was released, Israeli police came to check the house three times, preventing any celebrations. Then she rolls her eyes. “They’re just kids!”

“The Israelis constantly bother us. Even when the children are on their way to school, they come across the police, they get arrested, they get bothered. Let them leave our children alone!”

Nassiyeh, Ahmed’s grandmother

at franceinfo

“The Israelis take our children from us, don’t let us live in peace. And they don’t leave room for the little ones either, no matter where they are”, castigates Nassiyeh. She specifies: several of her sons have already spent time in prison. Now, she regrets, it’s these little children.