GAZA CITY (Ma’an) – “Our joy over Ayman’s release has been embittered because the occupation detained my brother Jihad,” says Salameh Sharwana, a brother of deported Palestinian prisoner Ayman Sharawna upon his arrival to the Gaza Strip.

Sharawna’s mother and two brothers, Salameh and Zuheir arrived Wednesday afternoon in Gaza City via Rafah crossing to meet Ayman who was released from Israel’s custody Sunday and deported to the Gaza Strip after a long hunger strike.

Speaking to a Ma’an reporter in Gaza City, Salameh Sharawna said the family’s happiness was incomplete because Israeli forces detained his brother Jihad and his nephew Ismail.

“The Israeli occupation wouldn’t allow us to travel to the Gaza Strip via Erez crossing, so we traveled to Jordan, then to Egypt then to Gaza via Rafah crossing,” he added.

He added, “Before we headed to the Public Service Hospital to meet my brother Ayman, we visited the graves of Sheikh Ahmad Yasin, Abdul-Aziz Ranteisi, Yahya Ayyash, Imad Aqil and Um Nidhal Farahat (Mariam Farahat). We also went to offer condolences to family of Mariam Farahat.”