Husband: All female Palestinian prisoners to be freed
Husband of Qahira Saadi, sentenced to life in prison for her part in Jerusalem suicide attack that left three Israelis dead in 2002, says all female Palestinian prisoners to be released in exchange deal. 'They were told they can start packing,' he says
The families of the females Palestinian prisoners are waiting for new information on a possible exchange deal with Israel to secure their release. Nasser Saadi, whose wife Qahira was sentenced to life imprisonment for her involvement in a suicide attack on King George Street in Jerusalem, is expecting information.
"They are telling them that all the women will be released and that they can start packing," the husband told Ynet on Wednesday.
The 32-year-old mother of four, Qahira Saadi, with the held of 33-year-old Sanaa Shehadeh in 2002 transported the suicide bomber who carried out the attack on King George Street in Jerusalem, in which three civilians were killed and dozens were injured.
She was arrested shortly after the attack, and sentences to life in prison.
According to reports, Israel refuses to release female Palestinian prisoners sentenced to life for their part in suicide attacks.
Saadi's husband said, "We are not worked up over these reports that my wife won't be released." He said he has not heard from any official Israeli or Hamas body confirmation of reports that his wife will not be released.
"I don't know how credible these repots are. What we do know is that all the female prisoners should be freed," he said.
Saadi said that since his wife's arrest he has visited her four or five times: "The Israelis give me a temporary entry permit every few months, but that's it. my children visited her last Tuesday."
According to the children Saadi is confident the prisoner exchange deal will come to pass. "She even sent some of her belongings back with the children, since she assumes she will be released soon. I asked them to tell her not to get her hopes up, because in the past they were moments when it seems a deal was close but it fell through. We all hope the deal will be finalized and we will be together soon."
Other than Saadi, the release of two other female prisoners is still disputed: Amneh Muna, who lured 16-year-old Ophir Rahum to his death eight years ago, and Ahlam al-Tamimi.
Rahum's father told Ynet that "my heart goes out to the Shalit family. The situation is truly heartbreaking but we can't agree to this deal. Is the blood of the soldiers who caught these terrorist any less red than that of Gilad Shalit?"
