'I miss them so much' - Family of long-serving Palestinian prisoners express joy over enlistment in hostage-prisoner swap

'I miss them so much' - Family of long-serving Palestinian prisoners express joy over enlistment in hostage-prisoner swap

"Family members of the two long-serving Palestinian prisoners, Muhammed and Abdul Jawad Shamasneh, detained since 1993, expressed joy over their enlistment in the hostage-prisoner exchange.  Footage filmed on Friday shows family members holding framed photos of the two prisoners. They can also be sitting and watching TV. "They were detained in 1993. The last time I saw them was between 2015 and 2017," Yousef Shamasneh, the father of the detained Palestinians, recounted. "Abdul Jawad was sentenced back then to four life sentences and 30 years, and Mohammed to three life sentences and 30 years," he elaborated. He shared that Muhammed and Abdul were indicted for 'killing of Israeli soldiers', leading to a sentence to life imprisonment. The prisoners' mother, Halimeh, voiced her longing to reunite with her sons, saying, "I miss them so much, may God be pleased with them." "I pray day and night for them and I always see them in my dreams. Sometimes, it feels like my heart is on fire, and suddenly, a sense of tranquility cools the fire," she added. The two Palestinian brothers, Muhammed and Abdul Jawad Shamasneh, from the town of Qatana, northwest of Jerusalem, were apprehended before the signing of the Oslo Accords in 1993. On September 29, US President Donald Trump, alongside Prime Minister Netanyahu, unveiled a 20-point peace proposal for Gaza. The plan calls for an immediate ceasefire, a release of all hostages—living and remains—within 72 hours, as well as the release of 250 Palestinian prisoners serving life sentences and 1,700 Palestinians from Gaza detained since October 7. The plan also allows for 'full humanitarian aid' to Gaza, amnesty for Hamas members who agree to peace, or the provision of a safe passage for others, without compelling anyone to leave the enclave. Hamas approved the US-brokered proposal under specific terms, suggesting the release of Israeli hostages through Qatari and Egyptian mediators if Israel agrees to a lasting peace and full withdrawal. Trump welcomed Hamas's response, calling the moment 'very special' and 'unprecedented in many ways'."