ALBAWABA – Mass rallies are taking part across the West Bank and Gaza in celebration of the six Palestinian prisoners who miraculously escaped from the maximum security Israeli Gilboa prison.
# Picture Palestinian artist embodies the operation of the fleeing # prisoners across the tunnel technically pic.twitter.com/NAEJtzeUZi
— Yasmine Rajab (@YasmineRajab1) September 9, 2021
The rallies are also held in condemnation of the on-going Israeli practices of collective punishment of Palestinians.
Meanwhile, Gideon Levy thinks that "the six escaped Palestinian prisoners are the boldest freedom fighters imaginable"https://t.co/uEkNaJE38H
— Haaretz.com (@haaretzcom) September 9, 2021
Since their escape on Monday through digging a tunnel under the prison using kitchen utensils, the Israeli police have embarked on a manhunt to try and catch the prisoners that included arresting their families and relatives.
Occupied WestBank- #IsraeliTerrorists forces arresting relatives of #Palestinian prisoners on the run after their brazen escape from high-security Israeli prison. Addameer-the Palestinian prisoner support & human rights association said at..https://t.co/ouwRITmoO7 #FreePalestine
— Left is Best*Free Palestine🇵🇸 (@SilverForest155) September 9, 2021
The style of the escape is leaving Israelis baffled with similarities being made from the Hollywood blockbuster movie, the Shawshank Redemption.
10 September, Derry, Ireland: Stand with Palestinian Prisoners https://t.co/0VFJBR9HBV μέσω του χρήστη @Samidoun: Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network
— 🇵🇸Γιώργος Θαλάσσης🇵🇸Prince Merlin😘Snow White (@PhoenixMerlin1) September 9, 2021
Needless to say Palestinians are happy at what is being described as the “Palestinian Great Escape” distributing sweets and patting themselves on the back.
Youths protest in Tulkarm against mistreatment of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails, demand release https://t.co/eENpcYzUxW pic.twitter.com/KowalWeBiJ
— Mahad Bilal (@MahadBilal5) September 9, 2021
Nablus, Ramallah, Birzeit, Jenin, Gaza, Bethlehem, Tulkarem, Howara are Hebron are involved in widespread protests with clashes between Palestinian youths and the Israeli army and police who are being taken by surprise.
Massive rallies across West Bank in condemnation of Israeli collective punishment against Palestinian prisoners https://t.co/h1mBzLJeuM
— PNN English (@pnnenglish) September 9, 2021
Issawiya and East Jerusalem are also up-in-arms and will not accept the Israeli occupation.
Clashes erupted between the Israeli occupation forces and Palestinian protesters in Issawiya neighbourhood in occupied #Jerusalem last night. The protesters took to streets in solidarity with the Palestinian prisoners.#FreeThemAll pic.twitter.com/po42jyXwZV
— HudaFadil (@HudaFadil9) September 9, 2021
Meanwhile the Israeli army has set up more than 230 checkpoints spread across the occupied West Bank and northern Israel in search of the prisoners.
“A wounded Goliath, Israel immediately began “a series of collective, punitive, retaliatory and arbitrary measures” against Palestinian prisoners en masse, according to prisoners rights group Addameer.”#israelicrimes https://t.co/MJNthV3zoB
— anahide (@AnahideG) September 9, 2021
As well, Israeli prisons are on high alert. In the Ketziot Prison, in the Negav Palestinian prisoners set seven cells on fire.
Palestinian prisoners set cells ablaze following brutal crackdown https://t.co/0xgve7xA77
— ThunderbolT (@pirzadatauqir) September 9, 2021
They are protesting the new stringent regulations imposed by the Israeli security authorities. But what is happening now is being termed as a new Palestinian Intifada.
" The freedom tunnel sparks the intifada of the prisoners " #Palestinian daily Al Hayya al Jaadada head this morning after last night wide scale protest by Palestinians across the #West_Bank cities and town pic.twitter.com/66me3b7skX
— Nasser Atta (@nasseratta5) September 9, 2021
The are 4,850 Palestinians prisoners held in 23 Israeli jails.