Gaza: Death of the World's Youngest Freed Prisoner

Palestinian teenager Youssef Al-Zaq, 17, who was known as the world’s youngest freed prisoner, was martyred in a drone strike that targeted his family’s apartment in Gaza City early Saturday morning, according to the Palestinian Prisoners’ Media Office.اضافة اعلان

In a statement, the office said:

“Youssef Al-Zaq, the world’s youngest freed prisoner, was martyred after the occupation targeted his family’s apartment on Al-Thawra Street in central Gaza City.”

Youssef was born inside an Israeli prison in 2008, and his name became widely known for his mother’s story—Fatima Al-Zaq, a former prisoner, who gave birth to him while behind bars.

Fatima Al-Zaq was arrested by Israeli forces in 2007 while leaving Gaza to seek medical treatment. At the time, she was pregnant with Youssef, though she only discovered her pregnancy after being imprisoned. Her husband and eight children were unable to share the joy of expecting a new baby, as Youssef was later born in prison, according to her previous statements.

Fatima endured harsh conditions while raising Youssef inside a small, cramped prison cell for nearly two years, lacking basic necessities. She suffered from malnutrition and poor medical care, with no safe space to care for her newborn. She was only allowed to leave her cell in handcuffs, and both she and her baby faced repeated medical neglect. Her son fell ill multiple times amid the absence of adequate healthcare, according to reports from human rights organizations cited by Anadolu Agency.

In 2008, Fatima and Youssef were released as part of a prisoner exchange deal, in which 19 Palestinian women were freed in return for a video showing captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit. Shalit was later released in the “Wafa al-Ahrar” (Faithful to the Free) deal in 2011, which saw the release of nearly 1,000 Palestinian prisoners.