Released Hamas member thanks Hamas leaders and Gaza “who defended the honor of all the Islamic and Arab states”
The video shows released prisoner Fatima Abu Shalal, a 41-year-old Hamas member held under administrative detention starting Aug. 29, 2023, speaking shortly after her release as part of a prisoner exchange deal on Nov. 24, 2023, between Israel and Hamas in which Israel agreed to release 150 terrorist prisoners in exchange for 50 Israeli hostages during the Israeli counter-terror operation against Hamas’ terror war on Israel – see note below.
Released terrorist prisoner Fatima Abu Shalal: “I am prisoner Fatima Bakr Musa Abu Shalal from Nablus… Certainly there is joy, but it is murky because its price was very high – the blood of our Martyrs in the Gaza Strip, noble Gaza, who defended the honor of all the Islamic and Arab states…All thanks and appreciation go to our brave resistance in the Gaza Strip, and foremost among them general commander Muhammad Deif (i.e., Hamas terror leader), Yahya Al-Sinwar (i.e., Hamas terror leader), and all the resistance, and [Hamas’ spokesman] Abu Ubeida. Allah will reward them for us, will strengthen them, and will grant them victory over those who fight themand grant them victory in Gaza.”
[“Palestine Post,” Telegram channel, Nov. 24, 2023]
Hamas war on Israel October 2023 - At least 1,200 Israelis, including over 1,000 civilians, were murdered and over 4,800 wounded, in addition to approximately 244 who were abducted into the Gaza Strip (including 110 later released or liberated and at least 26 later killed), in a Hamas terror war that began when approximately 3,000 Hamas terrorists broke through Israel's security fence at the Gaza Strip border and launched a surprise attack, taking control of several Israeli towns and attacking a music festival on the Jewish holiday of Simchat Torah, which fell on the Sabbath, Oct. 7, 2023. During the massacre the terrorists tortured, raped, shot, beheaded, and burned their victims alive, murdering entire families and leaving at least 21 children without parents. Hamas terrorists also fired at least 5,000 rockets at Israeli population centers. In response, Israel launched Operation Iron Swords to counter the Hamas terror threat. Hezbollah terrorists in Lebanon joined Hamas' terror war starting from the following day, attacking Israel from the north. Occasional rocket launches and shootings continued from Lebanon throughout the war. A ceasefire and prisoner exchange deal began on Nov. 24, 2023, in which Israel agreed to release 150 terrorist prisoners, pause drone surveillance in the Gaza Strip, and allow movement between the northern and southern Gaza Strip, in return for 50 Israeli female and child hostages held by Hamas. The deal was subsequently extended with additional releases, until Hamas violated the agreement and resumed attacking on Dec. 1, 2023.