The great escape: Palestinians laud breakout of six detainees from Israel's Gilboa Prison

Palestinians have lauded the daring escape of six detainees from Israel's Gilboa Prison early on Monday.

The men are believed to have lived in the same cell in the high-security jail in northern Israel and were able to flee through a tunnel under a cell sink, according to prison authorities.

Israel has raised its security alert following the escape of the six men and is in a desperate rush to catch the detainees, with suggestions they might attempt to escape to neighbouring Jordan.

In Gaza, Palestinians took to the streets to hand out sweets to laud the escape, The New Arab's Arabic-language sister broadcaster, Al-Araby TV reported.

Prominent Sheikh Jarrah activist Mohammed El-Kurd tweeted: "The prison break news from Palestine also signifies that the seemingly impenetrable Zionist colonial regime is in fact penetrable."

El-Kurd, who, like many from his occupied East Jerusalem neighbourhood, is fighting Israeli expulsion, continued: "They want us to believe they know our every step – the fangs of their surveillance machine are sharp indeed, but Palestinian skin is thicker."

Others made comparisons to the famous Prison Break TV show, in which protagonist Lincoln Burrows frees his brother, who was wrongfully given a death sentence.

Graphic designer Ibrahim shared a tongue-in-cheek promotional poster for "The real story: Prison Break", bearing Monday's date and overlaid on what appears to be the hole the detainees escaped through.

The Real story of Prison Break 🇵🇸
Sep, 6th 2021#نفق_الحريه #سجن_الجلبوع #الجلبوع #فلسطين pic.twitter.com/8OU2RcVx3J

— Ibrahim - UX UI Designer (@ibrahimsafady) September 6, 2021

Ashok Kumar wrote: "Seeing Israel defenders lose their minds & the Israeli state in a desperate manhunt over the 6 Palestinian prisoners who clawed their way to freedom warms my heart."

Israel routinely imprisons Palestinians, including children, in its jails and is accused of violating their rights.

After widespread outrage, Israel on Thursday let a nine-month-pregnant Palestinian woman out of detention to be confined under house arrest and subject to bail equivalent to $12,500.