Osama Muhammad Ali al-Ashqar is a Palestinian activist, writer, and freed prisoner. He was born in the village of Saida, Tulkarm, Palestine, on August 14, 1982.
Early life and education
Osama al-Ashqar completed his primary education in his village, Saida, and completed his middle and secondary education in the city of Tulkarm. He joined the struggle and defended his homeland at a young age, participating in it a year after the Great Intifada of 1992. At the age of ten, he was detained for five hours.
Activism and detention:
Osama al-Ashqar joined the resistance movement with the outbreak of the Al-Aqsa Intifada in 2000. At the age of sixteen, he joined the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, the military wing of the Palestinian National Liberation Movement (Fatah). Al-Ashqar became known as one of the leaders of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades during the Second Intifada. Israeli occupation forces pursued him for two years, until he was arrested on November 14, 2002, in an ambush in the town of Shuweika in Tulkarm. He was subjected to harsh interrogation for three consecutive months and severe torture, even though he had previously suffered from five bullet and rocket shrapnel wounds to the abdomen during the occupation's raid on Tulkarm refugee camp in 2002. The occupation accused him of carrying out several military operations, including the Metzer settlement operation, in which five Israeli settlers were killed, and the Hofesh operation, in which three settlers were killed.
Judgment and Release:
Occupation courts sentenced Osama al-Ashqar to eight life sentences, in addition to 50 additional years, for a total of 850 years in prison. Al-Ashqar's family suffered severe abuses during his captivity; his home was demolished twice, once in 2003, and he lost his brother and father while in captivity. He was released as part of a prisoner exchange deal between Hamas and the occupation in 2024 and settled in Cairo after gaining his freedom.
Academic and Linguistic Development in Captivity:
Al-Ashqar completed his university studies inside Israeli prisons. He earned a BA in Sociology from Al-Quds Open University and a MA in Israeli Studies from Al-Quds University - Abu Dis. During his 23-year imprisonment, Osama Al-Ashqar studied several languages, mastering Hebrew, English, and French.
Literary Production and Memberships:
Osama Al-Ashqar is a writer with two published books:
1. Prison Has a Different Taste
2. Letters That Broke the Chain, published in 2023 and featuring letters he sent to writers, authors, and activists.
In addition to his books, Al-Ashqar has published more than 300 articles in Palestinian, Arab, and international newspapers. Al-Ashqar was granted membership in the General Union of Palestinian Writers , the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate, and the Federation of Arab Journalists in Europe.
Personal Life:
Ashqar married Manar Khalawi in 2020, whom he had only seen in photos. Their love story began about seven years ago when he met her while visiting her relative in detention.
