Iman Nafi from Palestine experienced joy upon the release of her husband Naim al-Bergouti from an Israeli prison as part of an agreement on a ceasefire that began to take effect on Sunday, when she learned that his name was included in the list of those released from Palestine. "This was an expression of hope for a meeting and freedom." After his release, Israel imposed restrictions on al-Bergouti's residence in his hometown of Qubr on the northern Ramallah on the occupied West Bank. During this time, he worked on a garden at home, where he planted apples and olives. "I believe this is the harshest indication in history." However, she adds that the decision to expel "is rejected by our side."
Al-Bergouti (68 years old) spent about 44 years in Israeli prisons, including 34 years in a row, before he was re-arrested in 2014 after his release in the context of a previous exchange between Israel and Hamas in 2011, making his imprisonment the longest time spent in Israeli prisons, according to the Palestinian Prisoners Club. "When I saw his name on the list, published by the Israeli Ministry of Justice and including hundreds of names of Palestinian prisoners, who are released in the first phase of implementing the agreement for 33 released, I felt immense joy."
Iman spent days waiting for this announcement, decorating the house with photographs of her husband, some of which were taken when he was in his twenties, while others were already in his sixties, and all of them were taken in prison. But joy faded when she learned that her husband would be one of those expelled beyond the borders of Palestine according to the Israeli list. Speaking to the French agency France Press, she stated: "Of course, I was engulfed in deep sorrow, because I had patiently waited, and did not expect that Naim would be subjected to new restrictions and would be expelled from his homeland and his land."
