RAMALLAH, April 17th 2011 (WAFA) – Palestinian Prisoner’s Day anniversary coincides on April 17, marking the first release of the Palestinian prisoner, Mahmoud Hijazi, in the first prisoners’ exchange between the Palestinians and the Israelis in 1974.

Palestinians consider this day to be a day of bravery, courage and struggle in favor of the Palestinian cause. Prisoners Day was set by the Arab leaders in the Arab summit which was held in Damascus in 2008.

According to the Ministry of Detainees and Ex-Detainees’ Affairs, the number of detainees in Israeli prisons until this day exceeds 6000 prisoners; 4747 of them are from the West Bank, 1676 from the Gaza Strip, 198 from East Jerusalem and 182 prisoners from the 1948 land (under the Israeli control).

37 of the prisoners are females and 245 are children, ministry said.

Hundreds of prisoners grew up in prison as they were still children when detained. 180 of the prisoners are administrative detainees; 12 of them are members of the Legislative Council and few are political leaders, ministry added.

The prisoners are distributed on 17 prisons and detention centers; such as, Nafha, Ramon, Ashkelon, Beersheba, HaDarom, Gilboa, Shata, Al-Ramla, Damon, Hasharon, Naqab, Ofer and Megiddo.

M.H./F.R.