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Family Celebrates Return of Freed Palestinian Prisoner Marah Bakeer
Released Palestinian prisoner Marah Bakeer [L] with her mother, Sawsan [R], following her release from an Israeli prison as part of a prisoner exchange deal between Hamas and Israel
Bakeer is one of 39 Palestinian prisoners released by Israel in exchange for 13 Hamas captives under a Qatar-mediated deal.
Jerusalem – With tears of joy rolling down her cheeks, and a look of utter disbelief, Sawsan Bakeer ran down a flight of steps to greet her 24-year-old daughter, Marah, who had just been released after eight years in an Israeli prison.
Marah Bakeer is one of 39 Palestinian women and children released from Israeli prisons on Friday in exchange for 13 Hamas captives under a Qatar-mediated deal that includes a four-day truce in Gaza.
“I told you Marah is beautiful,” Sawsan told journalists, as she hugged her daughter and showered her with endless kisses. “Not because she’s my daughter, really, but Marah is beautiful, and you got to see for yourself.”
Before her imprisonment, Bakeer was a 16-year-old high school student at al-Maimouna School in occupied East Jerusalem’s Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood.
Every day, she would make her way from the family home in Beit Hanina to school, crossing an expressway that runs between East and West Jerusalem.
While on her way home on October 12, 2015, Israeli forces shot and arrested her for allegedly attempting to stab an Israeli officer. Bakeer and her family deny the accusations.
When she was arrested, Bakeer was lying on the pavement with 12 gunshot wounds to her arm and hand which have left her with permanent damage. She was sentenced to eight years and six months in prison.
A child when imprisoned, Bakeer was due to complete her sentence and return home in four months’ time.
‘I needed my mother’s love’
Newly freed, Bakeer told Al Jazeera that her time in prison was hard, but that she had endured it with her faith in God and the support of her family and fellow Palestinian prisoners.
“There were many difficult times in prison, but just like anyone else going through life, they passed.
“Prison was especially difficult because I was young [when I was jailed] and I needed my mother’s love and my family’s support.
“Although there were many fellow prisoners who took care of me and helped me, nothing can replace a mother’s love,” she said as Sawsan held onto her.
About 8,000 Palestinians remain in Israeli jails, including 3,000 who have been detained over the past seven weeks amid an increasing number of armed Israeli raids across the West Bank.
Over the next four days, 150 Palestinian prisoners and 50 Israeli hostages are to be freed.
Solitary confinement before release
Over the years of her imprisonment, Bakeer has become something of a political figure, representing all female prisoners before the administration at Damon prison in northern Israel, where female Palestinian prisoners and minors are detained.
Following the Hamas attack on October 7, Israel moved Bakeer, along with other prison leaders, to another prison, in Jalame, and placed her in solitary confinement.
For more than six weeks, she was not permitted to communicate with her fellow inmates nor receive any information from the outside world.
“It was a very difficult time because they kept me away from the rest, and it was during the war. I didn’t know what was happening to them and that really affected me,” she told Al Jazeera.
“What was even harder, was that I didn’t know anything about my family. But I knew God would protect them,” she added.
Bakeer was taken out of her cell on Wednesday but says she was not told what was happening.
“When I didn’t go back to my cell, I knew there was a deal being negotiated, but I had no idea what the details were,” she explained.
She was only informed on Friday morning that she was going to be leaving prison.
No celebrations, Israel orders families
Ahead of Bakeer’s release, her family said they did not have any information about when she would be coming home until Israeli forces stormed their home and asked all relatives and guests to leave. They warned against any show of joy or celebration upon Bakeer’s arrival, the family said.
Bakeer’s father, Jawdat, was taken for questioning at a police station in Jerusalem and warned against the family showing any signs of joy about Marah’s release.
“Marah came home to us today. We’ve just received her but they [Israeli forces] threatened to storm the house and arrest me if we celebrate,” he told Al Jazeera.
Israeli forces also blocked all entry to the neighbourhood where Bakeer’s family home is located. They have stationed soldiers in front of the house, ensuring no groups can gather.
Qadura Fares, who heads the Palestinian Prisoners’ Club NGO, said 33 prisoners were freed in the West Bank and handed over to a team from the International Committee of the Red Cross, while six others were released in Jerusalem.
The NGO said in a statement that the Israeli government set several conditions forbidding the released prisoners and their families from speaking to the press, receiving guests at home or distributing sweets in celebration. Those who do not abide by the rules could be fined about 70,000 shekels ($18,740), the NGO added.
Although Bakeer is happy to be home, she told Al Jazeera that her happiness was incomplete with the continuing bloodshed in Gaza.
“I’m very happy of course, but I feel devastated by how that deal was reached … at the cost of our brothers’ and sisters’ lives in Gaza.”
More than 14,800 people have been killed in the Israeli bombardment of Gaza since October 7. In Israel, the official death toll from Hamas’s attacks stands at about 1,200.
itel, the technology empowerment brand for masses, officially unveiled its new product A300+, brand’s first interactive dual-screen smartphone in its price range. itel A300+ comes with a comprehensive set of features — a 7000mAh marathon battery, IP65 military-grade durability, and satellite communication capability, demonstrating that innovation and complete product strength can coexist at an accessible price point.
A First-of-Its-Kind Rear Screen Experience: Interactive Innovation for a New Generation
itel A300+ coming with an interactive rear display is a rare feature in this price category, designed to deliver a smart entertainment experience for young generations. Far from being a cosmetic gimmick, the rear screen provides practical functions built around real everyday scenarios. Users can frame selfies using the higher-quality rear camera with a live preview on the back screen, glance at incoming messages and alerts without waking the main display, and play, pause, or skip tracks directly from the rear screen. The rear display also supports customizable clocks, photos, and designs, giving users a personal window to express their individual style. Complementing the rear screen, the A300+ features a 6.78-inch immersive punch-hole main display, offering a cleaner, more expansive viewing experience for streaming, gaming, browsing, and social media.
Performance and Value in Balance: Delivering Fresh Technology Despite Industry Pressure
Even amid rising industry costs, itel has chosen to bring fresh technology to its products while continuously improving performance and keeping pricing accessible. The A300+ is powered by a 7000mAh marathon battery engineered for long-term reliability, supporting up to 1,200 charging cycles — far exceeding the industry standard, and designed to retain healthy capacity. AI Charging Protection intelligently manages charging patterns to reduce battery degradation, while Smart Power Management optimizes power consumption across apps and hardware to extend usage time between charges.
The device also features 300% ultra-volume DTS stereo speakers, delivering rich, room-filling sound for music, videos, FM radio, and everyday entertainment. Built to withstand daily life and beyond, the A300+ carries IP65 water and dust resistance certification and meets military-grade durability standards, resisting splashes, dust, and accidental drops. Notably, the A300+ includes satellite communication capability, ensuring users can still send basic messages via satellite when cellular networks are unavailable — a safety net in remote areas, during natural disasters, or in other critical situations, setting it apart in its price segment.
The A300+ is built on a clear product philosophy, rather than relying on a single headline feature, it combines its key strengths into one complete product story. The rear screen captures attention first, while battery life, durability, and practical usability make the overall value proposition convincing. With the A300+, itel once again demonstrates its commitment to using innovation to meet the needs and desire for novelty among young users in emerging markets.
The itel A300+ is available in two variants: the 64GB ROM and 128GB ROM and they are both available in all phone retail stores in Nigeria or via online store HERE
DJ ROBOT teams up with TMP OFFISIAL and FATEOFTHEYOUTH for NDSM DELUXE, a new DJ mixtape that expands the world of NDSM — No Dey Stress Me into a bigger, more energetic listening experience.
Built around DJ ROBOT’s approach to sequencing, mixing, and controlling energy, NDSM DELUXE transforms the NDSM mindset into a full sonic journey. The mixtape explores nightlife, pressure, temptation, confidence, freedom, desire, and the decision to simply refuse to let life overwhelm you.
Bringing together DJ ROBOT’s DJ-driven vision with the creative energy of TMP OFFISIAL and FATEOFTHEYOUTH, the deluxe edition adds new dimensions to the original NDSM message while maintaining its central philosophy: No Dey Stress Me.
Rather than simply extending the original project, NDSM DELUXE is designed as an experience — moving through different moods, rhythms, and moments while allowing each transition to contribute to the story.
For DJ ROBOT, the project represents an opportunity to communicate through energy as much as words.
“The original NDSM had more energy and stories to explore. I wanted to take the ‘No Dey Stress Me’ mindset beyond the song and turn it into a full DJ experience — something that captures nightlife, freedom, pressure, temptation, and the moments when you simply choose to enjoy yourself and live in the present.”
Listen below;
Nigerian artist N8TAN is set to unveil his highly anticipated ‘UPRISING EP’, a body of work that chronicles his journey from the streets to the heights of his musical ambition.
Built around themes of struggle, resilience, ambition, survival, and triumph, UPRISING captures the realities of an artist determined to turn adversity into momentum. The project reflects N8TAN’s experiences, the challenges that shaped him, and the relentless drive that continues to push him forward.
More than a collection of songs, UPRISING is presented as a story of transformation—from navigating the streets and confronting uncertainty to finding purpose, embracing growth, and rising toward the top.
With its blend of raw storytelling, infectious energy, and personal perspective, the EP offers listeners an intimate look into N8TAN’s world while reinforcing his determination to carve out his own place in the music industry.
‘UPRISING EP’ is a statement of elevation: a reminder that where you start does not have to determine where you finish.
As N8TAN continues to build his musical identity, UPRISING marks another significant chapter in his journey—and an invitation for listeners to rise with him.
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