Life of Mahmoud al-Arda, architect of daring Israeli prison escape

The moment Israeli authorities sentenced Mahmoud al-Arda to life imprisonment, he began planning his escape.

Rejecting the legitimacy of Israel’s occupation courts, the 50-year-old Palestinian viewed breaking out as another act of resistance in his struggle for freedom.

After 25 years behind bars - marked by long stints in solitary confinement and a failed escape attempt - Arda finally made it out.

On 6 September 2021, he led five other Palestinian inmates in a daring breakout from the maximum-security Gilboa Prison.

The escape, achieved through a tunnel dug over ten months using mainly spoons, stunned Israel and made international headlines.

Read more: Jailbreak, freedom, exile: Life of Mahmoud al-Arda, architect of daring Israeli prison escape