Three months have passed since a ceasefire was established in the Gaza Strip. This time, Israel predictably refused to comply with its obligations under the agreement. It continues to block the injection of negotiated aid amounts into the Strip. We are not receiving enough food, medicine and temporary shelter. The Rafah intersection remains closed and people in need of urgent medical evacuation are still unable to leave.
Israel also continues its bombing campaign, which has killed more than 400 people since October 10. Israeli forces continue to destroy Palestinian homes across the so-called Yellow Line, leaving entire neighborhoods in ruins.
Meanwhile, mediation is underway to move the ceasefire to a second phase, in which troops will withdraw and reconstruction will begin. While these efforts offer hope that the situation in Gaza may improve, there is one important issue that remains unaddressed. Such is the fate of Palestinians who remain prisoners of war in Israel.
After Israel accepted all but the bodies of the dead, there was no mention of the continuing suffering of Palestinians forcibly disappeared from Gaza by Israeli forces. At least 1,800 Palestinians from Gaza remain detained. In addition to this, there are more than 8,000 people abducted from the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem.
My brother is one of 1,800 people from Gaza.
Khalid is 34 years old and the father of three children. His children, Diala (8 years old), Hamdan (10 years old) and Abeer (11 years old), were the center of his life until they were kidnapped.
Khalid went missing on December 3, 2023. Our family of 17 had evacuated from our home in the Shujaya district due to the Israeli attack and had taken shelter in the West Gaza City Education Directorate near Yarmouk Stadium.
At night, I woke up to the sound of a large military vehicle coming in. I realized that my brother, who was sleeping next to me, was gone.
Hours later, Israeli forces stormed the building and forcibly separated the women and children from the older boys and men. We were eventually released and the 15 of us were reunited at Al Shifa Hospital. Khalid and our father were missing.
After 15 days we learned that our father was released and sent to Rafah. We were able to contact him and Mr. Khalid also said that he believes he was captured rather than killed in an Israeli attack.
Almost a year later, while we were sheltering at my sister’s house in Shujaia, a Red Cross worker called me and asked if Khalid was my brother. My heart sank. I asked for news about Khalid. Was he still alive? I have been informed that my brother, who is being held in the notorious Ofer prison, is alive.
Hope returned when a January 2025 ceasefire was announced. We were finally reunited with my father who was able to come north.
We also expected Mr. Khalid’s name to appear on a list of Palestinian prisoners of war that Israel was seeking to release during multiple prisoner exchanges.
My brother Mohammed and I anxiously scrolled through the names. Mr. Khalid’s name did not appear on any of the lists. Later, we heard from several released prisoners that Mr. Khalid was being held in Nafa Prison.
When the October ceasefire was announced, we searched the list again. A total of 1,718 civilians were abducted from Gaza, and only 250 Palestinians who were unjustly serving life or long-term sentences were released.
Mr. Khalid was not among them.
This devastated me beyond words. Words cannot express the depth of my disappointment in a world so unfair.
Some days, my admiration for my brother feels too heavy for me to carry. I think about him all the time. I think about where he is and what he’s going through. The distance between us feels unbearable. There are moments when I would do anything just to see him, even if just for a short time, just to know he’s still there.
Separation has quietly and exhaustingly settled into my life. It follows me everywhere, shaping my days and filling the space he occupied.
When I see Diara, Hamdan, and Abeer, tears flow. Eight months ago, his mother, Nadia, was killed in an Israeli bombing raid on the cafe where she worked. 38 other people were also massacred along with her.
Currently, the three are living without their parents.
I long to see Mr. Khalid’s face free from fear and violence. I dream of laughing, hugging and spending time with him.
I am one of the thousands of Palestinians who are trapped in constant fear and anxiety for their loved ones held captive in Israeli dungeons. We have all heard horrific stories of torture and ill-treatment from released prisoners. We have seen bodies shrunken and emaciated. Scarred, melted skin.
Israel has celebrated the return of all prisoners of war, dead or alive, as a diplomatic victory and a moment of closure. But for Palestinians, there is no end in sight. No one’s celebrating. Our loved ones remain incarcerated.
To those at the negotiating table: We urgently call for a return to the issue of Palestinian prisoners of war. This is not a problem that can be postponed. It is a moral and urgent obligation. Palestinian prisoners of war are not a file to be shelved. They are human beings who deserve dignity and justice. Their lives are in immediate danger.
Dear Khalid: Your absence hurts us and we look forward to your return. We will not rest until you return. Dear Mr. Khalid, we will wait for you as long as it takes.
The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the editorial stance of Al Jazeera.
