Israel releases Ahmad Manasra, arrested at 13, after nearly a decade in prison

Manasra was diagnosed with several psychological conditions while serving sentence for 'terrorism'

Ahmad Manasra leaves an Israeli security office in Jerusalem accompanied by his father. AFP

Live updates: Follow the latest on Israel-Gaza

Israel on Thursday released Palestinian Ahmad Manasra, who was detained at the age of 13 for taking part in a stabbing attack in East Jerusalem and held in isolation for long periods during nearly 10 years in prison.

His family waited for him outside Nafha Prison, but were then told he had been released in Beersheba, about 50km away, the Wafa news agency reported.

Mr Manasra was arrested and convicted of attempted murder after he and his cousin Hassan, 15, entered East Jerusalem carrying knives in 2015. Hassan stabbed an Israeli man and wounded a 13-year-old Israeli boy before he was shot dead by police.

A video of the incident widely shared online showed Mr Manasra, who was run over by a car, bleeding on the ground as Israeli soldiers pinned him down. He was initially sentenced to 12 years in prison and fined 180,000 shekels ($47,900) as it was classified a "terrorism case" by the Israeli Supreme Court. But the sentence was reduced to nine-and-a-half years in 2017.

Ahmad Manasra was detained at the age of 13 after a stabbing attack in East Jerusalem. AFP

In 2022, his mother was able to see him at close enough quarters to touch him through an opening in the solitary confinement cell he was kept in. "For the first time in seven years, I am touching my son," she said in a video posted on social media.

After several years in prison, Mr Manasra was diagnosed with psychological conditions including schizophrenia, psychosis and severe depression. His lawyer, Khaled Zabarqa, said he did not have immediate information about Mr Manasra’s condition after his release, but added that he was with his parents.

“We know in jail he’s been very ill. We’re waiting to know his health situation now,” he said.