On Oct. 10, Israel freed senior Hamas member Muhammad Abu Tir from administrative detention. Abu Tir, who serves as Hamas' representative in the Palestinian parliament, had been arrested by Israel on several occasions since 2006. The last time he was detained, this past March, the Israel Defense Forces arrested him on suspicion of involvement in terror activity. He was arrested at his home in the the Umm al-Shrait neighborhood near the Palestinian Authority capital of Ramallah. He had moved there after Israel revoked his permanent residency permit, forcing him to relocate from his home in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Umm Tuba. He has been detained off and on over the years and brought to court multiple times for repeatedly violating the ban on him entering Jerusalem.

Abu Tir, 67, has spent 37 years of his life in Israeli jails. Upon his release, he told Al-Monitor, “I don’t know why I was detained and no one told me what I am accused of.” He added that he had spent the past seven months in the Ofer military prison and was not allowed to meet with a lawyer.

Abu Tir did not know when he would be freed, as the Israeli authorities often do not charge those under administrative detention with specific offenses, making it impossible for them to defend themselves. In addition, any evidence against suspects presented to military courts is usually classified. “That is why I don’t know the reason for the detention, nor the reason for the release,” Abu Tir said. During the interview, which was conducted over the phone, dozens of friends and neighbors — some of whom he barely knew due to his frequent incarcerations — came to his house to congratulate him on his surprise release.

A Palestinian security source told Al-Monitor that Abu Tir’s release was yet another sign of progress in contacts between Israel and Hamas over a long-term deal in the Gaza Strip. According to the source, the movement’s leadership understands it has been playing with fire ever since Israel threatened a widespread offensive against Gaza in the wake of the rocket fired Sept. 11 from the enclave at the town of Ashdod during Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s election rally. Under Egyptian mediation and following warnings to Hamas leaders, the sides renewed talks on the understandings they had reached in the past, resulting in an easing of Israeli restrictions and restoration of a measure of calm. A relative lull ensued on the Israel-Gaza border in recent weeks.