Fidaa Abu Maria bustles around her modest, limited house in Beit Ummar, northeast of Hebron, anxious, hopeful, and then terrified at the same time.
She turns to folding her father’s freshly laundered garments after making his bed, appearing to mutter prayers to herself as she does so.
She wants to be prepared and needs that brief burst of enthusiasm because her brother Ubai might be returning home.
In an upcoming exchange between Hamas and Israel, 300 individuals may be freed, and his name was on that list. There is a 50/50 opportunity that Fidaa will visit Ubai shortly after Hamas releases 50 prisoners to Gaza in exchange for 150 Arab women and child prisoners being held in Israeli prisons.
She is constantly concerned about him because Ubai merely had 30 % use of one of his arms when he was detained by Israeli troops on August 8, four weeks after turning 18 years old.
He had been receiving several treatments to restore the use of his hand after being shot in the neck in November. But as soon as he entered the Jewish jail system, his treatment ended.
Ironically, this was not the first time Ubai had been detained; he had already been taken four days before that.
Ubai was attacked by the jail soldiers at the start of his confinement, suffering brain injuries, and was left alone for 14 days.
” There were a lot of stabbings and attack during his confinement. Due to the hand injury and the fact that he had n’t had the opportunity to undergo the surgery for which it was intended, I was extremely concerned for his health. His elbow joints was supposed to be replaced, but it never did.
Since October 7, we’ve heard that conditions for inmates in employment prison have gotten worse; they have all been assaulted and deprived of the most fundamental rights, such as food, clothes, and other necessities.
Youssef, Ubai’s parents, struggled to contain his enthusiasm and anxiety. For a while now, we’ve been optimistic, and this day, I got yelled at by one of my friends. He informs me that Ubai’s name is on the list because he is a follower of Hebrew advertising and woke me up first.
” I’ve been arrested before, and after being detained 30 days, I feel as though my son will be reborn upon his launch.” In the profession prisons, prisoners are attacked so frequently.
” We are incredibly appreciative of the people of Gaza, particularly the victims and the injured.” All of this is first and foremost a thanks to God and the brave opposition that led our children from shadow to light.
New clothes and favorite foods
The Abu Maria family’s limited, extremely basic, pin-sharp, and frightened pleasure can be found throughout the house. Fidaa wanders between tasks to stay on a bed in the home space and hear the news.
” I’m content. My emotions are similar to those of any Arab mother who learns that her son may be freed: joyous, but melancholy because our meager joy comes at the expense of the lives of Gazans. I’m but appreciative right now.
I have been preparing food. I’m making homemade chocolate cakes, one of his favorite snacks, and stuffed zucchini with feta soup. Because I am a home cake chef, he prefers my bread to any other sweets.
I keep saying that I did gladly render him snack for breakfast every day, however many times he requests it. I’ve organized his space and washed his brand-new attire. Everyone, including my family and friends, is calling me. All is eager to welcomed him and share in our happiness.
Youssef contributed as much as he had before starting his own job and completely decorating the home to reflect the family’s almost unbearable joy and hope.
The hardest times of waiting for the release’s media were all that remained.
