Israel-Hamas truce: Palestine's most prominent political prisoner Israa Jaabis released from prison

Prison authorities in Israel announced November 26, 2023 that they had released 39 Palestinian detainees, after Hamas freed 13 hostages under an agreement that came into force three days ago.

The freed Palestinian prisoners are all women and people under the age of 19, while the hostages released by Hamas are all women and children.

The most prominent Palestinian released is Israa Jaabis, 39, who was convicted of detonating a gas cylinder in her car at a checkpoint in 2015, wounding a police officer.

She was sentenced to 11 years in prison.

Palestine claimed that Jaabis was moving to Jerusalem with her son, driving her car with household items, including a propane tank for the kitchen.

The incident occurred when her car's engine died near the Jewish settlement of Ma’ale Adumim.

A retired Israeli police officer passing by stopped her and asked for her ID.

As she attempted to exit the car, he asked her to stay inside.

"There is a strong smell in the car," she told him as she tried to get out of the vehicle again.

The officer, however, slammed the car's door, crushing her hand. Subsequently, her car caught fire, and she suffered first, second, and third-degree burns on her face and body, losing eight fingers, Palestine Chronicle reported.

Jaabis' photo, showing her withered fingers and partially burnt face, is regularly used in demonstrations to illustrate the suffering of Palestinian prisoners.

According to Jerusalem-based Wadi Hilweh Information Center, 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.

"I'm ashamed to talk about rejoicing when the whole of Palestine is wounded", Jaabis told journalists in her living room, alongside her 13-year-old son.

"They must release everyone," she said.