Samir Kuntar was convicted for his involvement in a 1979 Hezbollah attack that resulted in the murders of an Israeli man and his young daughters.
Sentenced to four life sentences, Kuntar, originally from Lebanon, had been in prison in Israel since the year of the attack. On June 29, 2008, the Israeli Cabinet agreed to release Kuntar in exchange for information about Israeli prisoners and the bodies of those who have died.CNN: Israel OKs Hezbollah prisoner deal (June 29, 2008)
Murders
On April 22, 1979, Kuntar landed on a northern Israeli beach with three other anti-Israeli militants. The four reportedly stormed the home of the Haran family. Eyewitnesses alleged Kuntar shot 28-year-old Danny Haran in front of his 4-year-old daughter Einat, then smashed the girl's skull with his rifle. The mother, Smadar Haran, accidentally smothered 2-year-old Yael in an effort to keep quiet. Kuntar was tried and convicted of murdering all three victims.The Washington Post: The World Should Know What He Did to My Family (May 18, 2003)
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Fast Facts
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Born
July 20, 1962
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Birthplace
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A Lebanese Druze
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1979
Member of People's Liberation Army
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1979
Involved in an attack on Israel
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Attack meant to protest the peace agreement between Israel and Egypt
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Killed an Israeli man and his two daughters during the attack
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Convicted in 1979
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Sentence to four life sentences and imprisoned in Israel
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June 29, 2008
Israel agreed to his release as part of a prisoner exchange deal with Hezbollah
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July 15, 2008
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July 16, 2008
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