“Not Just Financial Aid, It’s a Right”: Families of Palestinian Prisoners Protest Frozen Salaries in Ramallah

Ramallah — In the heart of Ramallah, close to al-Manara Square and the offices of the Palestinian Council of Ministers, an open-ended sit-in by wounded Palestinians, former prisoners, and families of those killed in the conflict continues — a scene reflecting an escalating crisis over unpaid stipends that has become both a social and political flashpoint, according to Quds News Network.

From Delayed Payment to a National Crisis

What began as delayed financial demands has become an issue touching the lives of thousands of families who depend on these payments as a primary source of income, amid growing anxiety over their future. The crisis traces back to a series of administrative and financial changes to the stipend system in recent months, compounded by external political pressure and the Palestinian Authority’s own financial difficulties.

“The Absence of the Breadwinner Doubles the Burden”

One prisoner’s wife told Quds News Network that the delay has directly hit her family’s ability to cover daily expenses, explaining that having a husband in prison means the family has no primary breadwinner — a burden made heavier by limited job opportunities and a difficult economy.

Freedom Doesn’t End the Struggle

A former prisoner told Quds News Network that hardship does not end with release — it marks the start of a new set of challenges, chief among them the difficulty of finding steady work or income. Many former prisoners, he said, face a harsh economic reality that leaves them unable to secure basic needs or support their families. Participants also noted that costs extend beyond daily needs to include the financial burden of tracking prisoners’ conditions and visiting them.

“A National Right, Not Charity”

Qadura Fares, former head of the Palestinian Prisoners’ Affairs Commission, told Quds News Network that the demands of prisoners, the wounded, and families of those killed are just and legitimate, calling for an immediate response and a resolution to the crisis. He said the decisions that led to halting spending on these families directly harmed people who made major sacrifices, stressing the need to do right by prisoners, the wounded, and the families of those killed who lost years of their lives, their health, and their children. He also called on national factions to take responsibility toward these groups and support their legitimate demands.

Protesters say their sit-in will continue until their demands are met in full — chief among them, resuming regular salary payments and guaranteeing the crisis will not recur.