HANI chose to study electrical engineering at Birzeit University in the West Bank "mainly because it was the best university in Palestine." Born in 1972 into a family of 14 people, Hani grew up in the village of Deir al-Balah in the central Gaza strip. Upon completing his secondary education, Hani decided to apply to Birzeit in part because he felt it was the best academic choice. Although Hani enrolled in Birzeit five years ago in the autumn of 1993, after spending a full year stuck in Gaza without permits he has completed only three years of his degree. Returning to the university to continue his studies has meant facing arrest as a part of every day life, simply for residing and studying in the West Bank.

In the winter of the 1994-95 academic year, Israeli soldiers arrested Hani from his house in Abu Qash. During the 1994-95 academic year, Israeli soldiers conducted night-time raids on Gazan students houses on an almost-monthly basis. Additionally, soldiers have orders to detain any student carrying a Gazan identity card without a permit to reside in the West Bank. (Since there have been no student permits issued since January 1996, this includes all students.)

On this occasion, Hani, along with about 15 of his colleagues, was taken first to the Israel Military Prison in Ramallah. (This prison has now been moved to an area just outside of Ramallah due to the redeploment of Israeli forces out of Ramallah.) At the base, Hani reported being left standing in the rain for hours. Finally, Hani and his friends were loaded in a Israeli military vehicle and transported to Gaza. More than two months passed before Hani was able to return to his studies. Upon returning he once again resumed the life of waiting for checkpoints, and knowing that arrest always lies just around the bend in the road.