Hajja Mariam Owais, 78, from Jenin refugee camp, never imagined she would live to see her sons, Abdel Karim (54) and Hassan Rateb Owais (47), free after serving life sentences in Israeli prisons for their leadership roles in Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades.  

Despite her age and illness, she insisted on traveling to Ramallah to welcome Hassan, released as part of the sixth batch of a prisoner exchange deal. Abdel Karim was deported abroad, while Hassan was freed to the West Bank. The family endured immense suffering, including the loss of a son, repeated home demolitions, and multiple arrests.  

Hassan, arrested in 2002 and informed of his release on his 47th birthday, expressed mixed emotions, wishing his brother had also returned to the West Bank instead of exile. He described harsh conditions in Israeli prisons, including medical neglect.  

Upon reaching Jenin, Hassan embraced his father and reunited with his children, who were toddlers when he was imprisoned. His mother, who had spent years visiting her detained sons, thanked God for granting her the chance to see them free.  

The Owais family has a long history of struggle. Their father, Rateb, was a Fatah fighter, leading to home demolitions as early as the 1970s. Their son Samer was assassinated in 2002, while Ahmed remains imprisoned. Abdel Karim’s son, Mohammed, was also killed by Israeli forces, and their home was destroyed multiple times in retaliation.  

The family continues to endure Israeli aggression, with Hassan’s nephew critically injured in a recent Israeli airstrike on Jenin.