The Israeli intelligence officer in our area phoned my father in the morning and asked him to bring me to Huwwara military base for an "interview". He told my father he would release me afterwards. He told my father he was from the intelligence unit and that "intelligence people don’t lie". My father took me to Huwwara where we arrived at around 11:00 a.m. The guard let me in immediately and told my father to wait outside. Then the intelligence officer came out and told my father I was under arrest and told him to leave.

 

In the afternoon I was taken for interrogation. The interrogator was wearing a shirt and jeans. He did not call a lawyer for me and did not inform me of my right to silence. He told me I had to give him the weapons in my possession. I told him I did not have any weapons. I also told him I was arrested by the Palestinian police and had spent 40 days in a Palestinian prison. The Palestinian police arrested me because they suspected me of planning an attack. 

 

The interrogator told me it was not an excuse to say I had spent time in a Palestinian prison and asked me again to hand over the weapons. He told me to cooperate with him because otherwise he was going to lock me up in solitary confinement. He questioned me for about three hours during which time he sometimes left the room and came back later. He was not aggressive. In the evening I told him I was hungry and needed something to eat because I was fasting all day. He brought me some food. 

 

Then another officer came and blindfolded me and tied my hand to the front with one plastic tie which he tightened hard and I was in pain. I asked him whether I was going to beaten up. He told me if any of the soldiers beat me I should let him know. Then I was taken outside where I waited until midnight. I was tied and blindfolded the whole time. 

 

At around midnight I was taken in a military jeep to Megiddo prison, inside Israel. Inside the vehicle I sat on a seat. I arrived there at around 2:30 a.m. On arrival I was strip searched before being taken into the minors’ section. Two days later I was taken to the military court at Salem. My parents were not informed and they did not attend. My detention was extended. 

 

I had seven more military court hearings and after each one I was taken for more interrogation by the intelligence officer. I spoke to a lawyer only once. I was suspicious of this lawyer and did not trust him. The interrogator was listening to our short conversation on speaker phone.

 

I was never informed of my right to silence. Each session lasted about 30-45 minutes. I was accused of the same accusation and I continued to deny it. At the end of each session I was asked to sign a document written in Arabic and I signed. 

 

On 14 May 2023, I was given a four-month administrative detention order. On 19 August 2023, just three days before I was supposed to be released, I was given another four-month administrative detention order. I was devastated and thought this was going to go on forever and that I was never going to be released. I was at Megiddo prison the whole time. 

 

The situation in prison after 7 October 2023, became terrible. Prison guards frequently raided our cells and abused us. One of the guards swore at me. On 30 October 2023, the prison guards raised an Israeli flag and a detainee pulled it down because it was provocative. The prison guards went crazy when the flag was pulled down. They raided our cell and beat us all with batons. I was beaten on my legs and head and I was badly bruised. 

 

Family visits were cancelled, and visits by lawyers were not as frequent. They cut off the hot water and took away our shavers. They took away extra clothes so we were only left with the clothes we were wearing. They closed the prison shop and did not install the window panels. We were disconnected from the outside world and only heard about the war in Gaza from the new detainees who were arrested after 7 October 2023. The quantity of food was not enough, they would bring us one plate of wheat for 10 boys.

 

On the day of my release the prison guards came to our cell. They told me they were taking me for more interrogation because I was a trouble maker. The intelligence officer told me I was suspected of planning a terror attack. He told me he did not want to release me but Hamas did. He told me I should thank god for this opportunity. Then he threatened to arrest me again and put me in prison until I die if I post anything that has to do with Hamas on social media. He told me he would shoot me if I did anything wrong.

 

After meeting with the intelligence officer I was taken to see the prison superintendent. He told me to sign a document written in Hebrew but did not tell me what it said. When I refused to sign he told the guards to leave the room and then he slapped me. He threatened if I did anything wrong I would be arrested again.

 

Then I was taken to Ofer prison, near Jerusalem, where I met with representatives from the Red Cross who took my details and told me I was going to be released in the Hamas deal. I was released from Ofer on 25 November 2023, at around midnight and I went home with my parents, my uncle and cousin and my aunt. 

 

A few days following my release an intelligence officer phoned my father and told him to bring me to Huwwara again for a "chat". I went with my father as ordered. I was taken into his room immediately, but without my father. He asked me if I saw soldiers on the street in my village what would I do. I told him I would continue walking. He said, no I should run home. Then he told me if anyone throws stones or pipe bombs at soldiers or settlers and I do not report to him he was going to arrest me. He told me this was a warning. He wanted me to work with him but I told him I worked in construction in the village. Then he told me I was released against his will, and that he had no choice but to release me. 

 

Since my release I worry about being arrested again. I heard about other boys who were re-arrested at checkpoints and are still in prison.