Palestinians in East Yerushalayim, Yehudah and Shomron Celebrate Terrorists’ Release

By Matis Glenn

Palestinians in East Yerushalayim and Yehudah and Shomron gleefully celebrated the release of convicted terrorists Sunday for the second night in a row, reports the Times of Israel.

In exchange for a temporary ceasefire and the release of dozens of teenagers and women jailed for terrorism, Israel received 13 women and children hostages of the Hamas terror group, kidnapped from their homes during the October 7 massacre.

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir instructed police in East Yerushalayim to prevent the celebrations, but some went on despite police efforts. In Yehudah and Shomron, hundreds of people lined the streets for a second night to greet a busload of released terrorists.

Teenage criminals were carried on the shoulders of throngs of admirers in the town of Al Bireh. Receiving a hero’s welcome, they were paraded through the main square, where they waved Palestinian flags as well as green banners of Hamas and yellow banners of the Fatah party of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. “May God make them strong. May God be with the Qassam Brigades (Hamas’ armed forces),” one Palestinian boy shouted.

One released terrorist, attempted suicide bomber Israa Jaabis, 38, was convicted of igniting a gas cylinder in her vehicle at a Ma’aleh Adumim checkpoint in 2015, which left a police officer wounded. She was sentenced to 11 years in jail. She had attempted to enter further into Israel to carry out a suicide bombing, according to authorities.

Another released terrorist, Nurhan Awad, was 17 when she was sentenced to 13.5 years in jail in 2016 for attempting to stab Jewish people, including an Israeli soldier, with a pair of scissors the year before. Her cousin and co-conspirator was killed during the attacks.