This mother reunited with her son 420 days after his detention. She feared he was dead

Yasmine Hassan · CBC News

· Posted: Mar 04, 2025 4:00 AM EST | Last Updated: March 4

It was a frigid Wednesday nighttime erstwhile Nevin Abu Sahloul, 39, waited impatiently for quality of her lad Muhammad. The 17-year-old had been missing since aboriginal past year, and Abu Sahloul had feared the worst — that helium had died successful the midst of a raging warfare successful Gaza.

As she dilatory moved done the crowd, she and her sister, Nidaa Abu Sahloul, stayed close together trying to find anyone who mightiness have information.

Hundreds of radical were astatine the European Hospital in confederate Gaza waiting to spot if their loved ones would beryllium among the 620 Palestinians released successful the latest speech of hostages and prisoners agreed to successful the archetypal signifier of the ceasefire betwixt Israel and the militant radical Hamas.

"The feeling is indescribable erstwhile we recovered retired helium was alive. Indescribable," Abu Sahloul told CBC News freelance videographer Mohamed El Saife. "I couldn't ideate that Muhammad was alive, and present he's being released."

The latest speech marks the extremity of the archetypal signifier of the ceasefire deal successful which 33 Israeli hostages, including 8 bodies, were released for astir 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees.

On Thursday, Israel sent negotiators to conscionable successful Cairo to sermon extending the archetypal phase. In a effect connected Friday, Hamas "reaffirmed its afloat committedness to implementing each presumption of the statement successful each its stages and details" successful a station to the messaging work Telegram.

Waiting for son's merchandise takes a toll

The ceasefire statement was reached aft much than 15 months of war, which began with a Hamas-led onslaught connected Israel connected Oct. 7, 2023, that killed astir 1,200 Israelis and led to astir 250 radical being taken hostage successful Gaza, according to Israeli tallies. Israel's subsequent military violative killed much than 48,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to Gaza's Health Ministry.

Muhammad was meant to beryllium released on with much than 40 different minors connected Feb. 22, but it was delayed by Israel, which complained that the mode successful which Hamas was releasing hostages was "humiliating."

The ceasefire began connected Jan. 19, and implicit the past respective weeks, Israeli hostages were displayed connected stages acceptable up successful assorted neighbourhoods successful the Gaza Strip and made to question to crowds of radical earlier being handed implicit to Red Cross officials.

When El Saife spoke to Abu Sahloul, the parent had conscionable begun what would beryllium an overnight hold astatine the infirmary to nary avail.

At about 5 a.m. connected Wednesday, she was told the autobus driving her lad and different detainees would not get until noon. Tired and overwhelmed, she collapsed to her knees arsenic her sister tried to console her.

Hours later, headed by a convoy of Red Cross jeeps, a autobus pulled up to the European Hospital successful Khan Younis. From a distance, the passengers each looked identical, with shaved heads and wearing grey sweatsuits.

WATCH | Palestinian teen reunited with his household aft 420 days successful custody: 

Some hung out of open windows and waved astatine the assemblage gathering nearby, portion immoderate detainees were successful tears.

Muhammad's aunt, Nidaa, was the 1 who archetypal caught a glimpse of him connected the bus. She had been waiting with Abu Sahloul since the nighttime earlier to spot if his sanction would travel up connected the database to beryllium released.

"I couldn't judge it erstwhile I saw him connected the bus," she said.

'It's an indescribable feeling'

Released detainees person a aesculapian checkup successful the infirmary and a alteration of apparel earlier they tin reunite with their families. But earlier Muhammad, inactive successful his grey sweats, could marque his mode to the hospital, he and his parent found each different and embraced.

They had waited 13 months for this moment, galore times losing anticipation it would ever happen. Muhammad was retired of enactment and successful tears arsenic his household surrounded him and anxiously waited for their crook to hug him.

"It's an indescribable feeling. God consenting each parent of a detainee feels the happiness that I saw," Abu Sahloul said.

The teen told El Saife that helium was arrested connected Jan. 24, 2024, and spent 420 days successful custody, where helium said he was beaten and electrocuted — the "worst treatment" helium had ever seen successful his life. Muhammad said that nary accusation was fixed to his household erstwhile helium was detained. His mother contacted organizations that would cognize if helium was detained, but she ever returned empty-handed. 

Eventually, Muhammad said, he lost anticipation helium would ever spot his household again.

"I didn't expect a time would travel erstwhile I would spot the entity without bars," helium said.