Hunger striking Palestinian arrives in Gaza
Ayman Sharawna released from Israeli prison, arrives in Gaza Strip where he has been expelled to for 10 years. Palestinian official: 'This is punishment not release'
Hunger striking Palestinian prisoner Ayman Sharawna, has arrived in the Gaza Strip after reaching a deal with Israel stating he would be released from Prison and deported to the Gaza Strip for a period of 10 years went ahead.He received a hero's welcome upon arrival.
Sharawna, a Hamas operative from the Dura village near Hebron was arrested in 2002 and sentenced to 38 years in prison after being convicted for laying the explosives in the Beersheba terror attack in which 18 people were wounded.
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He was also convicted for the attempted abduction and shooting of soldiers. Sharawna was released as part of the Shalit prisoner exchange deal in October 2011 and was arrested again last December over suspected involvement in terror activities. Several weeks after his arrest he launched a hunger strike with another Palestinian prisoner, Samer Issawi.
Issawi is currently refusing to reach a similar agreement with the State.
Kadoura Fares, the head of the Palestinian Prisoners Club told Ynet that "The Palestinian Prisoners Club sees this move as a punishment for Sharawna not a release. Expulsion of a prisoner to the Gaza Strip is against international law."
Israeli sources involved in the deal earlier confirmed that a deal was in the works to release the prisoner in exchange for his expulsion to the Gaza Strip and that the deal was heading for final approval.
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