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.

20/07/2012 - REPORTERS

Paul Kagame: up close and personal

His critics accuse him of being authoritarian, distant and calculating. But is that a true representation of Paul Kagame? France 24 was given exclusive access to the Rwandan President for one week and allowed to film as he went about his day to day routine.

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13/07/2012 - REPORTERS

The Chinese beat the recession in Spain

In Spain, a group of entrepreneurs are beating the recession. One of their strengths is to overcome the obstacles the economic crisis has put in their way. Chinese entrepreneurs have moved in and begun the process of creating jobs. Today one in every four new businesses in Spain is Chinese. France 24's correspondent Adeline Percept has found these entrepreneurs have been able to see opportunities where others can only see problems.

06/07/2012 - REPORTERS

The Hawza: Najaf's Shia theological school

In this report we head to the Iraqi city of Najaf. 160km south of Baghdad, it’s Shia Islam’s third holy city after Mecca and Medina. France 24 toured the Hawza, the city’s theological school, where scholars spend up to 25 years immersed in Shia theology. They witnessed an institution that is shining once more, following the fall of Saddam Hussein. Report by Karim Hakiki, Amar Al Hameedawi

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29/06/2012 - REPORTERS

Battle for control of southern Libya

Oil wells, water supplies, border checks and illegal alien smuggling… Deep in southern Libya, the Tubus are masters of all they survey. Marginalized under Gaddafi, the Tubus helped bring him down. Now their plight is battling with neighboring Arab tribes to maintain control in the region. Their violent clashes have already claimed hundreds of lives. On the eve of elections, the situation is still a powder keg.

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16/06/2012 - REPORTERS

Lebanon: when civil war crosses borders

The civil war in Syria is spilling over into neighbouring Lebanon. Our reporter went to the northern town of Tripoli, only a few kilometres from the Syrian border and the town of Homs. Here, the Alawites, who support the regime in Damascus, are taking shots at the Sunnis, who support the rebels. Today, the conflict in Syria risks igniting a wider conflict within the Middle East.

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