Tuesday, October 21, 2025:  “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor” (Luke 4:18).

This past week we caught a glimpse of the joy of families when reunited with their loved ones after years of captivity. We also heard harrowing stories directly from the released captives of the suffering, torture, food deprivation, and myriad humiliations and agonies they experienced in their captivity. In the US media, such scenes have been limited largely to the Israeli hostages and their families. 

Mention was also made of the Palestinian captives who were also released to their loved ones, even though Israel actually mandated that those released to areas under their control would not be allowed to publicly celebrate their freedom. Israel and much of the Western world still treats these individuals as guilty terrorists and not as hostages, prisoners, or victims.

There is hardly a Palestinian family in Gaza or the West Bank whose members have not directly experienced the agonies of an Israeli prison. Whether taken from his home in the early hours of the morning or herded together with others from schools, hospitals, streets and other community spaces, almost every adult Palestinian male has experienced being detained or imprisoned at one time or another. 

Friends of Sabeel North America (FOSNA) is an interdenominational Christian organization seeking justice and peace in the Holy Land through education, advocacy, and nonviolent action.

At FOSNA, our attitude towards all prisoners is guided by the message of Christ, especially the vision of final judgement in Matthew 25, where Christ declares, “I was a prisoner and you visited me.” It is our moral obligation to recognize the humanity and feel the anguish of every prisoner, to proclaim for them liberty. While in captivity, we believe prisoners should be treated with decency and humanely, regardless of what they are charged with and whether they are guilty or innocent victims in the hands of their enemies. 

We also undertook a campaign for the release of Mohammed Halabi, the former head of World Vision in Gaza, who has undergone a harrowing experience and a lengthy trial, and was still appealing an 11 year sentence when he was released as part of a recent deal. He had lost over a third of his weight and was unrecognizable upon release.

Last week, Mohammed sent us a message of thanks, and shared with us about a dream he had 5 years ago. It was a vision of Jesus Christ, and assured him that Jesus’ followers will help him be released before he served his full sentence.

I would like to share with you amazing thing happened with me in the prison. While I was enduring the torment of unjust imprisonment, a dream came to me one night that left an indelible mark on my soul. In this vision, I saw a crowd of people, overwhelmed with sorrow, their eyes swollen with tears. They cried out, “We have lost Christ Jesus.” Desperate to understand, I searched for Him, and to my amazement, I found Him standing in a serene and radiant garden, surrounded by an abundance of white and red flowers. His gaze met mine, and He smiled—calm, compassionate, and reassuring.

I shared this dream with a close friend of mine, a university professor renowned for his ability to interpret dreams. He told me that this was a powerful omen, one that foretold my release from prison before the completion of my sentence and that I would be aided by the followers of Jesus. Remarkably, both of these prophecies came true.

For years, my attorney has urged me to share this story, and though it has been five years since that dream, today—finally—I write it down. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to share this testimony. By the way, christ Jesus is extremely handsome.

-Mohammed Halabi

We continue to advocate for the release of all prisoners not only for their own sake and for the sake of their families, but also because without releasing them there can be no end to this ongoing war.

Our Friends of Palestinian Detainees initiative arranges for Palestinian prisoners to be paired with churches in the US who can communicate with a prisoner’s family and relate to them directly. To learn more about this initiative and how your faith community might get involved, please visit the following link: Friends of Palestinian Detainees. 

FOSNA promotes the vision of Sabeel Jerusalem, an ecumenical liberation theology movement founded by Palestinian Christians in the Holy Land, joining Friends of Sabeel chapters around the world. As a nonprofit organization in the United States, we amplify the voice of Palestinians by advocating with churches, communities, and civic leaders for justice, peace, and liberation in Palestine. 

Brief Description of the FOSNA “Friends of Palestinian Detainees” Pilot Program

The “Friends of Palestinian Detainees” is a pilot program of Friends of Sabeel North America (FOSNA).

This program has emerged out of a deep desire to be in solidarity with the Palestinian people in general and to be active supporters and advocates for Palestinian detainees and prisoners in Israeli-run prisons more specifically. Guided by our relationship with FOSNA, this pilot a faith-led program, though ultimately not confined strictly to religious groups.

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