Mohammed Awni Abu Oun

These days commemorate the tenth anniversary of the prisoner exchange deal 'Wafaa Al-Ahrar.' It was a turning point in the development of relations as it was signed between the Palestinian resistance and the Israeli occupation. Five years before the deal, the heroes of the Palestinian resistance captivated the Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit from inside his bulldozer in Kerem Shalom crossing in the east of Rafah in June 2020. Although the whole process did not take more than 15 minutes, it was implemented with high military professionalism, and named 'the cross-border raid.'

The resistance's military proficiency has emerged since the first moments of planning and implementation up to their marvelous abilities in hiding the captive, and disguising the Israeli occupation and its intelligence services. Despite its high-quality technical capabilities, the Israeli occupation failed to reach its soldier captivated in Gaza, which has an open, easy geographical nature and terrain. Besides this big challenge, the Palestinian resistance entered an exhausting phase, represented in a marathon process of negotiations to seal an honorable deal to release the prisoners in the Israeli occupation prisons.

During the negotiations, the resistance handled all pressures practiced by the mediators inside and outside the negotiation rooms. The pressures have ranged between the negotiations on the number and kind of prisoners that might be included in the deal, and the possibility to practice the policy of mass punishment over the strip, undermine the resistance's abilities, tighten the blockade, and make the Gazans starve. However, the resistance became stronger and harsher.

The Palestinian resistance proved its honesty to defend the Palestinians' rights, and its concern to represent the Palestinian people in the West Bank, Gaza, Al-Quds, the 1948 occupied lands, and the diaspora. It insisted that the deal should include those places as there is no difference between the Palestinians living in the West Bank or Gaza, and others living in Al-Quds or the occupied lands. Thus, this strengthened the principle of collective responsibility.

The success achieved by the resistance in the capture process and the resulting Wafaa Al-Ahrar exchange deal formed an inspirational phase for the resistance to exerting pressure on the Israeli occupation by capturing new soldiers to release the remaining prisoners, who were not included in the past deal. Accordingly, the inspiration was translated into the implementation of two capture processes in 2014. They resulted in the capture of Hadar Goldin and Oron Shaul, who are used by the resistance to seal another honorable exchange deal soon.

Through the Wafaa Al-Ahrar deal, the Palestinian resistance managed to force the Israeli occupation to retreat from its arrogance in dealing with the Palestinians, and break all controversial, unnegotiable issues, mainly the non-release of the Palestinian prisoners, who inhabited Al-Quds or the 1948 occupied lands, claiming that they belong to 'Israeli areas.' In addition, the absolute rejection to release the prisoners, who killed settlers or carried out serious operations. Nevertheless, breaking those prohibitions has become a reality that the occupation had to accept.

The deal proved that the Israeli occupation only understands one language; the language of power. It also proved that the long fragile years of negations, which lasted for more than 20 years, did not achieve any political, social, economic, or security gains. However, it caused more setbacks in the Palestinian state, and the negotiations that aim at restoring the stolen rights. Furthermore, the deal raised the Palestinian awareness that the soldiers' capture processes are the shortest and most effective road to release the Palestinian prisoners and detainees.

Accordingly, it created a state of uncertainty for the Israeli occupation and its leaders and affected the morale of the Zionist society. It confirmed their belief that the capture processes are a clear phase of defeat and regression in the power and presence of the Israeli army, the state of deterrence, and its propaganda that the Israeli army is the strongest in the region that cannot be defeated.

Wafaa Al-Ahrar deal established a new peer-to-peer state with the Israeli occupation. Also, it proved that the Israeli army is fragile and beatable, and the Palestinian sacrifices, one day, will release the prisoners and whiten the prisons.