Palestinian teenage brothers Nasrallah and Qassam Al-Awar have been released after spending 17 months in Israeli prisons. The release came as part of a recent humanitarian pause agreement between Israel and Hamas. So far, 210 Palestinian prisoners and detainees have been released, while Hamas has freed 102 hostages, according to Israeli officials.

Excitement mixed with wariness was evident in the brothers' words as they expressed their joy at reuniting with their families while also expressing concern about the ongoing detention practices by Israeli authorities. Nasrallah Al-Awar stated, "We were thrilled to see our families and friends again, but we're torn because of what's happening in Gaza."

The brothers spoke about their experiences with the Israeli police starting at a young age, with their first encounter at just 5 and 6 years old. They were detained for a few hours only to be released. In 2022, they were arrested again following an altercation with Israeli settlers in their East Jerusalem neighborhood of Silwan.

The Israeli government released a list of 300 Palestinian prisoners eligible for release, citing offenses such as "supporting terrorism" and "negligently causing damage to property." However, the brothers denied these allegations. In civil court, Qassam Al-Awar was sentenced to 30 months in prison, while Nasrallah Al-Awar received a 26-month sentence.

Human rights groups have raised concerns about the lack of due process protections in the Israeli judicial system. Sari Bashi, program director at Human Rights Watch in the West Bank, highlighted the vaguely defined charges and discretionary powers granted to military officials in interpreting these charges. These include charges like "supporting terrorism," "endangering public security," and "disrupting public order."

According to Bashi, there are an estimated 7,000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees held by Israel. Approximately 2,000 are in pretrial detention, over 2,000 were convicted of "security crimes," and another 2,000 are being held without charges under "administrative detention."

The Palestinian Prisoners' Club reports that hundreds of Palestinians are detained without ever being charged or granted a trial. They have also noted a significant increase in arrests since the outbreak of the current war, with over 3,365 Palestinians arrested. Palestinians released from Israeli prisons have described dire conditions that worsened after the war began.

While the Al-Awar brothers are relieved to be free, they remain concerned about the ongoing conflict and the situation for others. Nasrallah Al-Awar expressed his desire for peace but cited the demolition of homes, beatings, and crackdowns by Israeli authorities as obstacles to a peaceful life.

The brothers, now enjoying time with their family and friends, expressed their eagerness to resume their studies. Nasrallah Al-Awar, who couldn't study while in jail, is about to graduate. However, both brothers expressed uncertainties about the future, fearing further arrests and detentions.

The Israeli government has yet to respond to inquiries about the detention of Palestinians and their detention policies. As the conflict persists, Palestinians endure the consequences, raising further concern about the need for a just and fair resolution to the ongoing tensions in the region.