Ashraf Zughayer, a Hamas terrorist who murdered six people on a bus in Tel Aviv in 2002, told the New York Times that the moment he heard news of the October 7 massacre that he knew his life sentence would shortly be concluded.
Zughayer had helped orchestrate the suicide bombing that killed five Israelis and 19-year-old British Jew Yoni Jesner.
Zughayer was released in January as part of a hostage-ceasefire deal that saw the return of 33 hostages for a pause in fighting and the release of over 1000 security prisoners. The 46-year-old terrorist was released into east Jerusalem, where supporters celebrated the release of terrorists illegally by waving Hamas flags.
Zyghayer’s father, who liaises between residents and Israeli authorities, commended his son’s attack, telling the American news site, “My son’s imprisonment was a badge of honor. You could enter prison for thieving or criminality. But I’m not the father of a criminal, I’m the father of a hero.”
Despite commending his son’s murders, Munir added that he hoped for a better future with “equality” and “human rights” for all, the NYT reported.
During his stint in prison, Zughayer was reported to have learnt Hebrew from October 7 mastermind Yahya Sinwar. It was through this experience, he told the NYT, that he understood not all Israelis wanted war.
“I used to think that Israeli society was a monolith,” he said, adding that now he understood “some want peace, and some do not.”
Zughayer was arrested shortly after his release for riding unsecured in the back of a pickup truck. He is thought to only be at risk of fines for the charge.
“A nation that wants to break free must fight for it,” Zughayer reportedly said shortly after his release. He refused to comment on whether he thought the Oct. 7 attacks, which saw over 1200 people massacred, had successfully advanced the Palestinian national cause.
“Our goal isn’t to hurt civilians. We were forced into it,” he said. “If the legal system here were just, I would see this whole thing differently.”
Hamas terrorist Ahmed Yousef had no problem in telling the NYT that he thought Oct. 7 “was a terrible error,” adding that “It’s good that there is a prisoner deal, but it did not require all this bloodshed and destruction.”
Impact on the victims’ families
Tova Sisso, the daughter of one of Zughayer’s victims, told the NYT, “Seeing him being celebrated like this tears open a deep wound all over again. My joy in life was stolen from me that day.”
Sisso’s mother, Rozana, had survived the Holocaust and immigrated to Israel. Jesner’s father said he had mixed feelings about the release of his son’s murderer - but stressed that when a hostage was released, “it felt like a family member coming home.”
Nir Zinger, whose brother Ofer was killed in the attack, said he thought of his brother daily and that Zughayer’s release was worth it if it meant fewer families would experience the grief he went through.
“We know the meaning of grief,” Mr. Zinger said. “We don’t want other families to have to endure that pain.”