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Israa Al Jaabis sits in a chair in the shade of a large tree in the courtyard of her parents’ hillside home in the Jabal Al Mukaber neighbourhood of East Jerusalem.
A smile spreads across her scarred face as she greets a friend, one of dozens who have visited since she was released from an Israeli jail late Saturday night.
Arguably one of the most prominent Palestinians imprisoned in Israel, Ms Al Jaabi's release was welcomed by many in her community.
Israeli police, however, prevented any celebration of her release with officers dispersing a crowd that had gathered outside her parents' home in anticipation of her return.
“I’m saddened that my family had to experience that,” Ms Al Jaabis told The National.
She was part of the second batch of Palestinian prisoners released by Israel as part of a deal with Hamas, that will see the militant group free 50 hostages it kidnapped on October 7 in exchange for the release of 150 Palestinians held in Israeli jails and a four-day pause in fighting.
Ms Al Jaabis only heard about the exchange a few days ago, she said. She was hoping she would be among the first group released.
“I felt like the prison administration didn’t want me to get out,” she said.
Israel’s National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir has instructed police to shut down any celebrations for Palestinians released from Jail.
“My instructions are clear: there are to be no expressions of joy,” Mr Gvir said before the prisoners' release.
Ms Al Jaabis said Palestinians also have a right to celebrate.
“You want to meet your kids who were held hostage when they get to Tel Aviv, you want to hug them and have parties for them, OK do it,” Ms Al Jaabis said. “But as you are human, we are humans as well.”
In 2015 Ms Al Jaabis was arrested after a gas canister detonated inside her car injuring an Israeli police officer and leaving her with third degree burns across 65 per cent of her body, including on her face and hands.
They used to treat me poorly and in an inhumane way
Israa Al Jaabis,
released Palestinian prisoner
She was sentenced to 11 years in jail for an attempted suicide bombing, a charge she denies.
During the course of her imprisonment, Ms Al Jaabis accused Israel of denying her proper medical treatment and became a powerful symbol for the plight of thousands of Palestinians in Israeli jails.
“They rejected my treatment,” she said. “They used to treat me poorly and in an inhumane way.”
While the 39 year-old mother is deeply relieved to be free and reunited with her son Mutasim, who was just eight years-old when she went to prison, she is cognisant of all the time that she has missed.
“When I left he was just a boy, now he is a teenager, with hair on his legs and body. He is almost a man,” she said.
MATCH INFO
Chelsea 3 (Abraham 11', 17', 74')
Luton Town 1 (Clark 30')
Man of the match Abraham (Chelsea)
Uefa Nations League: How it Works
The Uefa Nations League, introduced last year, has reached its final stage, to be played over five days in northern Portugal. The format of its closing tournament is compact, spread over two semi-finals, with the first, Portugal versus Switzerland in Porto on Wednesday evening, and the second, England against the Netherlands, in Guimaraes, on Thursday.
The winners of each semi will then meet at Porto’s Dragao stadium on Sunday, with the losing semi-finalists contesting a third-place play-off in Guimaraes earlier that day.
Qualifying for the final stage was via League A of the inaugural Nations League, in which the top 12 European countries according to Uefa's co-efficient seeding system were divided into four groups, the teams playing each other twice between September and November. Portugal, who finished above Italy and Poland, successfully bid to host the finals.
Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
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THE BIO
Favourite car: Koenigsegg Agera RS or Renault Trezor concept car.
Favourite book: I Am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes or Red Notice by Bill Browder.
Biggest inspiration: My husband Nik. He really got me through a lot with his positivity.
Favourite holiday destination: Being at home in Australia, as I travel all over the world for work. It’s great to just hang out with my husband and family.
