Israel made a strategic move by canceling the release of a rapist in a hostage deal with Hamas and swapping him with another prisoner of the same name. This surprising maneuver can be seen as a form of trolling towards Hamas and a victory for Israel.
Mahmoud Atallah, a convicted murderer, raped a female prison guard and sexually assaulted several others ten years ago – all while behind bars.
The rapist held significant influence, to the extent that Israeli officials initially overlooked his crimes to gain valuable intelligence from him. However, in a twist of events, his release was revoked.
Within the context of the ongoing hostage negotiations between Israel and Hamas, the rapist was initially included in the list of prisoners to be set free, with all allegations against him being dismissed.
Israel’s High Court had dismissed a plea from the victims to have him deported – meaning he would have been free to remain within the vicinity of them, despite threatening to find them and repeat his crimes.
But in a last-minute turnaround, Israeli trolled Hamas by rewriting part of the deal to replace his name on the list of convicts with another – Mahmoud Mohamed Atallah.
A document states only that the replacement prisoner is 53, does not hold Israeli citizenship, was arrested on October 12, 2023 for “endangering security in the [Judean] area”, and has been detained ever since.
Mahmoud Atallah was also placed on Shin Bet’s veto list to stop his future release – meaning he will now not be released as part of the hostage deal at all and will remain in solitary confinement.
His rape victim – who goes by the fake name ‘Hila’ to protect her identity – is said to have sobbed with relief as the politician who managed to wangle the turnaround rang her to tell her the news.
The move was hailed by Israelis across social media.
One user, David Gordon wrote: “He was replaced with a prisoner with the same name. That’s a nice touch.”
Others praised cabinet minister Orit Strook for the decision.
Strook, Minister for Settlement and National Missions of Israel managed to get the head of Israel’s security agency on board and then persuaded every single Knesset member to agree to the rewrite.
As well as Atallah, the names of two other terrorists were swapped too.
On Thursday evening, Strook tweeted: “According to my request: The terrorist murderer, who also raped our daughters in prison, will not be released.
“The High Court did not grant relief to the guards, on the illusory claim of ‘delay’. So I proposed that we, the government, at least stop this horror.”
She added: “In the midst of the grave and dangerous event of the mass release of terrorists, we at least prevented the horror and profound disgrace of releasing a terrorist who not only murdered but also raped our daughters within the walls of the prison.
“It is incomprehensible to me that the High Court refused to grant them relief on the absurd grounds of ‘delay.’
“I am glad I was able to ensure that the state—which failed to properly protect them from the terrorist-rapist and for so long denied their suffering—can now at least provide them with this
measure of justice.”
Since the hostage deal has been underway, Hamas has announced a list of three to four hostages to be released each week in exchange for terrorists held in Israeli prisons the following day.
RAPE HORROR
Atallah repeatedly raped his victim and sexually assaulted at least five others at the notorious Gilboa Prison.
Palestinian Atallah is said to have ruled the high-security prison as he served a life sentence for murdering a woman.
He even called his victims from jail after they finished their service and vowed to track them down once free.
Chillingly, Atallah boasted that he had collected information about where they lived and their family members.
Vile Atallah threatened his victims, saying: “I’ll chase you for the rest of your life.”
The terrorist was indicted last September on historic sex abuse charges but there were plans for him to be freed amid Israel and Hamas’ fragile ceasefire deal.
Atallah’s terrified victims had begged for him to be deported to another country in a plea that was dismissed by the Israeli High Court.
It was feared that he would return to his home in Israel’s disputed territory in Judea and Samaria – otherwise known as the West Bank.
Before the shock U-turn, Hila told The Sun: “For a decade, I fought for justice.
“I endured humiliation, disbelief, and a legal battle just to see him finally indicted.
“Now, the state that let this happen is turning its back on me again.
“If he is to be freed, I am begging them – send him far away. Don’t leave me living in fear.”
The victory for his victims means the cruel Hamas terrorist will no longer be freed and able to roam the streets near their homes.
Hila told how during her hellish ordeal, senior prison officers – who were later sacked – turned a blind eye to Atallah’s sick abuse of female guards.
She said: “They ignored us when we were being abused. They called us liars.
“They let this monster control us, and now, they’re doing it again. It’s the third time they’ve thrown us to the wolves.
“I have fought enough. I just want to live without fear. Is that really too much to ask?”
Atallah was sentenced to life in prison in 2003 after being convicted of killing a Palestinian woman he suspected of collaborating with Israel.
He also was serving another 15 years for attempted murder, after opening fire on multiple IDF soldiers.
Inside the prison, he is said to have terrorised employees without consequence and enjoyed privileges other prisoners didn’t.
The sexual abuse only came to light several years after it had happened, as Israeli courts previously put a gag on it being reported.
Once the scandal erupted, an intelligence officer who was said to have purposely ignored the abuse in a bid to try to get security information from Atallah was sacked.
Attorney Keren Barak, who is representing Hila and other victims, said of Atallah: “He was the true commander of the prison.”
The fiend is well-connected to Fatah, the largest faction of the Palestine Liberation Organisation.
At the time of his sentencing, the group carried out several suicide attacks.
Barak said Hila and other women are now too scared to leave their homes out of fear Atallah may strike again before his release was halted.
She told The Sun: “This is a man who was given so many privileges by the system that their fear is not paranoia. It is real.
“He should not be free at all. But if he is released, why is he being placed so close to his victims?”
“Their fear is justified. They are being asked to live alongside a man who abused and terrorised them, and the state is pretending this is not its problem.”
Hostages & prisoners released in ceasefire deal
HOSTAGES held by Hamas for almost 500 days are being released amid a tense ceasefire deal between the terrorists and Israel.
The ceasefire is aimed at winding down the deadliest and most destructive war ever fought between Israel and Hamas.
It is securing the release of dozens of hostages captured in the October 7 attack – in exchange for Palestinian prisoners being freed.
Hamas last Saturday freed three male hostages, and Israel released 183 Palestinian prisoners in the fourth such exchange.
Another exchange is planned today.
Argentinian-Israeli Yarden Bibas, pictured above, and French-Israeli Ofer Kalderon were released last week in the southern city of Khan Younis, while American-Israeli hostage Keith Siegel was handed over in Gaza City.
All three were taken during the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack on Israel that sparked the war.
Eighteen hostages have now been released since the ceasefire began on January 19.
That leaves 79 hostages still unaccounted for, though only 44 are believed to be alive, according to Israel.
Speaking of her disappointment at the time the indictment was dropped due to the deal, she said: “They fought so hard to see justice, and now they are being abandoned.”
She added: “We are not saying don’t release prisoners, but why is Atallah not being deported?
“The government has the power to put him on a plane. Why are they forcing these women to relive their nightmare?”
She warned: “If they are so sure he isn’t a threat, let them say so publicly.
“Let them answer; what will you say if, God forbid, one of these women is harmed?”
Hila previously wrote in a letter to Israeli officials: “A few years ago, while I was still a soldier, I was brutally raped a number of times within the prison’s walls.
“Since then I have become a shattered and broken woman.”
Hila was too terrified to report the abuse at the time and feared no one would have helped.
She explained: “Those who served in the prison back then and who are familiar with the despicable rapist and murderer, know that if I would have complained to someone, it would be only to him, because he had full control of the prison.”
After the sexual abuse became public knowledge in 2021, Atallah continued to serve his sentence in solitary confinement.
I have fought enough. I just want to live without fear. Is that really too much to ask?
Hila
A three-part peace deal is in action, with up to four hostages – who have been held in captivity in Gaza since the October 7 atrocity in 2023 – being released every weekend.
In exchange for each hostage, between 30 to 50 convicted Palestinian prisoners are being released.
The initial stage will see 33 hostages released.
By the end of the deal, almost 2,000 convicted Palestinian prisoners – more than 730 of which are murderers – are expected to be freed.
Many of the most dangerous are being deported to Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey.
Israel’s High Court said in a statement at the time of dismissing the victim’s petition: “Our hearts are with their distress and pain, and the difficult and burdensome meaning of this decision for them is understandable.
“However…we are unable to grant them the requested relief within the framework of the current procedure – and hence the petition must be dismissed.”
The Ministry of Defense in Israel was contacted for comment.
