Ahmad Manasra, arrested by Israel as a child, walks free after 9 years in prison: But at what cost?

Ahmad Manasra, a Palestinian from East Jerusalem who was imprisoned as a child in 2015 after being accused of involvement in a knife attack, has been released from Israeli custody after completing a sentence of nine and a half years.

His release on April 10, 2025, marks the conclusion of a case that has drawn extensive international attention for nearly a decade.

Manasra’s case has long been at the centre of controversy, drawing condemnation from human rights groups, international organisations and mental health advocates over his treatment in prison and the broader implications for Palestinian minors detained by Israel.

How Ahmad Manasra was arrested

Ahmad Manasra was 13 years old when he was arrested in connection with a stabbing carried out on October 13, 2015, in the Pisgat Ze’ev settlement in occupied East Jerusalem.

The attack was committed along with his cousin, Hassan Manasra, who was 15 at the time. According to official accounts, Hassan stabbed two Israelis — a 13-year-old boy and an adult man — before being shot dead by Israeli forces.

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Although Ahmad did not physically injure anyone, surveillance footage released by authorities showed him and his cousin running through the streets with knives.

Shortly after the attack, Ahmad was hit by a car and severely injured, sustaining skull fractures and internal bleeding.

As he lay on the road, injured and bleeding, bystanders were seen shouting and taunting him — a scene captured on video that was widely shared online and watched by millions.

Manasra was later charged with attempted murder and convicted despite not delivering the stab wounds himself — a fact that the court acknowledged during proceedings.

He was initially sentenced to 12 years in prison, but the term was reduced by three and a half years following an appeal by his legal team.

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At the time of the incident, Ahmad was a student at the New Generation School in East Jerusalem. He came from a large family, with two brothers and five sisters, and was living in the Beit Hanina neighbourhood of the city.

What Ahmad Manasra went through in prison

Over the years, Ahmad Manasra’s incarceration has been marked by prolonged periods of solitary confinement and an alarming deterioration in his psychological well-being.

In late 2021, prison authorities placed him in isolation following a confrontation with another inmate. His legal counsel and family reported that he was held in a small cell for up to 23 hours a day, during which he began suffering from delusions and insomnia.

According to his lawyer, Khaled Zabarqa, “We know in jail he’s been very ill. We’re waiting to know his health situation now.”

There were several reported incidents of self-harm during this period, including an attempt to slit his wrists. To manage his symptoms, prison authorities transferred him every few months to the psychiatric wing of a different facility where he was administered stabilising injections.

In December 2021, a physician from Doctors Without Borders (Médecins Sans Frontières) was granted access to examine Ahmad.

The doctor diagnosed him with schizophrenia, attributing it to the intense psychological strain of his confinement. He warned that continued imprisonment under such conditions could lead to permanent mental impairment.

Ahmad’s mental health history includes documented signs of psychosis, depression and suicidal ideation.

The severity of his symptoms and the nature of his detention have led rights advocates to label his treatment as inconsistent with international human rights norms, including those that prohibit cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment.

How Ahmad Manasra was repeatedly denied early release

Manasra’s imprisonment has drawn ongoing criticism from global human rights groups and institutions. Both the European Union and the United Nations repeatedly called for his release, citing his age at the time of arrest and the impact of his incarceration on his mental health.

Amnesty International, which tracked his case over the years, referred to him as a representation of broader abuses within the Israeli system toward detained Palestinian minors.

Heba Morayef, Amnesty’s regional director, reacted to his release by saying, “Nothing can undo the years of injustice, abuse, trauma and ill-treatment he endured behind bars.”

Despite these calls, Israeli courts consistently denied requests for early release. The Israeli Supreme Court ruled that Ahmad was ineligible for early parole on the grounds that he was convicted of terrorism, regardless of his age or psychiatric condition.

Ahmad’s conviction came during a transitional period in Israeli law, which was later amended to allow children as young as 12 to be convicted in civilian courts for offences designated as terrorism-related.

How Ahmad Manasra was finally released

Manasra was officially released on April 10, 2025, upon completing his sentence. However, the circumstances of his release sparked further criticism.

His legal team reported that authorities released him at an unexpected location — not from the Nafha Prison, where his family was waiting — but in Beersheba, roughly 50 kilometres away.

According to his lawyer, “Israeli prison authorities freed Ahmad ‘away from the Nafha Prison [facility] to prevent his family from receiving him, leaving him alone in an empty area.’”

He was eventually found by a passer-by who contacted his family, allowing them to reunite with him. The current status of his health remains unclear, though concerns remain high due to the toll of his imprisonment.

How Israeli prisons treat Palestinian prisoners

Ahmad’s release comes amid ongoing scrutiny of conditions within Israeli prisons, particularly for Palestinians. Rights groups report that since the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led attack and subsequent war in Gaza, the treatment of Palestinian prisoners has worsened significantly.

Detainees released under temporary ceasefire deals have frequently appeared malnourished, with some requiring immediate hospitalisation upon release.

The Israeli ministry responsible for prison administration has publicly stated that it has reduced the conditions for security prisoners to the bare minimum allowed under Israeli law.

In a separate case, a Palestinian teenager from the occupied West Bank died in custody in recent weeks after being held without charge for six months. His death marked the first case of a Palestinian under 18 dying in Israeli detention in recent years and has reignited debates over the treatment of minors.

The Israeli Prison Services Authority has maintained that prisoners are held according to Israeli and international law. It added that any reports of abuse are subject to investigation.

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Ahmad Manasra’s case has become a symbol of the contentious intersection between juvenile justice, security legislation and human rights in Israel-Palestine.

Footage of Ahmad’s interrogation without a lawyer or family member present — including scenes of him pleading for a doctor and expressing memory loss — also prompted significant concern from legal observers.

The interrogation video, which circulated widely online, contributed to mounting pressure from civil society organisations.

His case has been cited by numerous NGOs and legal bodies as evidence of systemic violations against Palestinian children under Israeli military or civilian legal frameworks.

With inputs from agencies