Prominent Palestinian Israa Jaabis arrives home after release from Israeli jail

Israeli police ordered evacuation of all journalists from Jaabis’ home in order to not cover first moments of her release.

Palestinian prisoner Israa Jaabis hugs her son for the first time after several years.  / Photo: AFP
AFP

Palestinian prisoner Israa Jaabis hugs her son for the first time after several years.  / Photo: AFP

Palestinian detainee Israa Jaabis has arrived home in occupied East Jerusalem after her release from Israeli jail, the Jerusalem-based Wadi Hilweh Information Center said Sunday.

It added that before her release, Israeli police imposed several restrictions, including no celebrations on her release and the evacuation of all journalists from her home to not cover the first moments of her release.

Jaabis spent seven years in an Israeli jail on an 11-year sentence.

On October 11, 2015, Jaabis, 31, was en route to her home in Jerusalem when a gas cylinder in her car exploded, and the car caught fire. She suffered third-degree burns which charred 60 percent of her body, including her face and hands.

Israeli authorities accused Jaabis of wanting to carry out a "terror" attack, a charge she denies.

Jaabis was on the list of 39 Palestinian women and children scheduled to be released from Israeli jails as part of a second batch of a prisoner swap deal with Palestinian resistance group, Hamas.

Reuters

Released Palestinian prisoner Israa Jaabis is received by her family in her house in Jerusalem

Second batch of prisoners complete

Israel and Hamas swapped 24 Israelis and foreigners for 39 Palestinians from Israeli jails on Friday, the first day of the four-day humanitarian pause. The second batch of prisoners is almost complete after the release of 17 Israelis and foreigners earlier Saturday.

Under the agreement, the hostages and prisoners will be released in batches during the course of four days.

Israel launched a massive military campaign in Gaza following a cross-border attack by Hamas on October 7. It has since killed at least 14,854 Palestinians, including 6,150 children and over 4,000 women, according to health authorities in the enclave.

The Israeli death toll stands at 1,200, officials say, after revising it down from 1,400.

Read More
Read More

Live blog: Israel, Hamas conclude third round of prisoner swap

Route 6