A taste of freedom in Gaza

More than a thousand Palestinian prisoners found freedom when Hamas released a single Israeli soldier, Gilad Shalit, at the end of 2011. Hundreds of them headed to Gaza, even though many had never lived there before. A few weeks after their return, our reporter found out what became of three of these former prisoners.

REPORTERS

Last year, on October 18th, scenes of joy broke out in Israel but also in the Palestinian territories, and in Gaza in particular. Israelis and Palestinians were celebrating a historic swap agreement: one Israeli soldier, Gilad Shalit, was freed in exchange for more than 1,000 Palestinian prisoners. Benjamin Netanyahu's government had finally come to an agreement with its arch-enemy Hamas, which had been holding the young soldier for more than five years.

The deal thrilled many, but it also shocked and angered others within Israel because of its disproportionate nature - 1,000 for 1 - and also because some of the detainees who were about to be freed had "Israeli blood on their hands." That was the expression used by those who opposed the deal, arguing that some of the prisoners would go back to the activities for which they had been arrested in the first place.

We decided to head to Gaza to follow three of these released inmates, all of whom had been sentenced to life in jail by the Israeli justice system.

17/02/2012 - REPORTERS

Guinea, one year after the election of Alpha Condé

Our reporters Willy Bracciano and Fatimata Wane went to Guinea, one year after the country's first ever free elections. They report on a nation struggling to get back on its feet after 50 years of authoritarian rule.

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10/02/2012 - REPORTERS

EXCLUSIVE - Forbidden Syria

From the onset of Syria's uprising, the government has barred almost all journalists from entering the country. France 24's reporters went undercover and were able to enter Syria’s northern Idlib region. For several days, they lived alongside civilians and Free Syrian Army fighters. This is their exclusive report from the heart of the opposition movement and their account of how they managed to get into Syria.

03/02/2012 - REPORTERS

The faces of French poverty

According to a recent survey, almost a quarter of French people have little or nothing left to live on at the end of the month. These "nouveaux poor" are students, single parents, casual workers and the elderly. Our reporter went to meet them.

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27/01/2012 - REPORTERS

Egypt’s Salafist surge

In a matter of months, Egypt’s ultra-conservative Salafists have beaten a path from marginalised religious sect to major political force. But what do we know about them, aside from their heavily religious roots? France 24’s Chris Moore and Noreddine Bezziou travelled to Egypt to find out.

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20/01/2012 - REPORTERS

France's lost football talent

They could have been future French champions. But like many young footballers with dual nationality who were trained in France, Cheik and Mohamed have chosen to leave the country to play for their nationality of origin. How can these talented young players be persuaded to stay in France?

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