His face has been seen all over the world. Israa Jaabis, 37, is probably the best-known Palestinian prisoner among the second group of prisoners released on Saturday, November 25, in exchange for Israeli and Thai hostages. The ex-detainee's face, which was partially burned, was widely used as a symbol of the suffering of Palestinian prisoners.
Israa Jaabis was 31 years old when she was sentenced to 11 years in prison for detonating a gas cylinder she was carrying in the trunk of her car at a roadblock in 2015, injuring a police officer. According to Israeli authorities, she was on her way to Israel "where she intended to carry out a suicide bombing," The Times of Israel reported.
Pro-Palestinian media outlets, such as Wafa - Palestine News Agency, put forward the version that Israeli soldiers opened fire on his vehicle, which led to the explosion of the gas cylinder in his car. The fire then burned 60% of his body, causing the loss of all eight of his fingers and distortions in his face and back.
'They need to free everyone'
His picture in an Israeli courtroom, holding up his atrophied fingers, his face partly burned, is regularly held up at demonstrations to illustrate the suffering of Palestinian prisoners.
Israa Jaabis has become a symbol of the suffering of Palestinians in Israeli prisons. SOPA Images / Mahmoud Issa / SOPA Images/Sipa
The NGO Addameer, which provided her with a lawyer, reports that she was burned over 50% of her body. According to the Palestinian authorities, she now needs six surgeries.
After her release on Saturday night, the Palestinian woman spoke to reporters: "I am ashamed to speak of rejoicing when all of Palestine is wounded," she said in the family living room of her home in the Jabal Moukkaber neighborhood, alongside her 13-year-old son Moatassem. "They need to release everybody," she pleaded.
Israa Jaabis with her 13-year-old son Moatassem. OREN ZIV / AFP
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Alongside Israa Jaabis, another 38 prisoners were released by Israel, in exchange for 13 Israeli hostages and 4 Thai hostages. The operation was the second after an initial release on Friday. Among the Palestinian prisoners released, only women and young people under the age of 18 were women. A new exchange of hostages and prisoners is expected to take place on Sunday, the third day of the truce in the conflict.