Israeli army harasses Zakaria Zubeidi's family in Jenin ahead of his release from prison

By Aysar Al-Ayas

RAMALLAH, Palestine (AA) - The Israeli army on Friday stormed into the home of Palestinian detainee Zakaria Zubeidi in the Jenin refugee camp in the northern occupied West Bank and harassed his family members.

Zakaria Zubeidi is expected to be released from Israeli jails on Saturday as part of the prisoner swap deal between Israel and the Hamas group.

Zubeidi is a well-known figure within the Palestinian Fatah movement, and was arrested by the Israeli army several times.

According to Anadolu correspondent, the Israeli army raided Zubeidi's home in Jenin camp, and handcuffed his wife and 14-year-old son Ayham.

The Israeli army ordered the family not to celebrate Zubeidi's release.

The Jenin area is under an Israeli military operation during which several parts of the Jenin refugee camp were stormed. The Israeli army destroyed several homes in the camp, pushing some 2,000 residents to flee.

On Sept. 6, 2021, Zubeidi along with five other Palestinian detainees successfully escaped from their Israeli high-security Gilboa prison by digging a tunnel from their cell to outside the prison. Israeli forces, however, managed to recapture them all after almost a week of their prison break.

The three-phase ceasefire agreement includes a prisoner exchange and sustained calm, aiming for a permanent truce and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.

The Israeli onslaught has left Gaza in ruins, and its residents displaced, hungry, and prone to disease.

The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants in November last year for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar