Palestinian actress Maisa Abd Elhadi released after one-year house arrest over Gaza posts

Palestinian actress Maisa Abd Elhadi was released from a year-long house arrest on Monday after she was charged with "inciting terrorism" for expressing solidarity with the people of Gaza in October 2023.

The actress, who has Israeli citizenship, was released by the Nazareth Magistrates Court, the Israeli daily Haaretz said on Monday.

She was placed under house arrest on 13 November 2023 after being charged with "inciting terror" and "supporting a terror organisation", in reference to Hamas. Abd Elhadi was prohibited from accessing or using social media or WhatsApp during her year-long ordeal.

Following her release, her lawyer Abeer Baker said: "We have a legal battle before us of course, but at least Maisa will be able to conduct it as a free woman and with great determination, despite the high price she paid. We hope that we won't encounter new acts of revenge."

Abd Elhadi, who has appeared in a number of internationally-produced Palestinian films, initially posted an image of Hamas members breaking through the border wall with Gaza on 7 October.

The image was accompanied by the caption "Let's do it Berlin-style" in reference to the demolition of the Berlin Wall in 1989.

The actress also shared a post that included a photo of an elderly woman held captive by Hamas with the caption "This is the adventure of her life."

The actress swiftly deleted the images soon after posting them "after she understood the magnitude of the horrors that took place" in southern Israel, her lawyer said, in reference to the Hamas attacks, according to Haaretz.

Abd Elhadi was initially arrested but released without conditions, however, "two weeks later social media bullies decided to order the police to detain her again, and that's what happened", Baker said.

Abd Elhadi’s lawyer said the actress suffered professionally and financially due to her detention, having lost out on various job opportunities. Baker stressed that film shooting projects overseas had to be cancelled as she was unable to travel.

According to the Israeli daily, the court ruled that Abd Elhadi is still barred from using social media but could use the WhatsApp messaging service again.

Baker stressed that the actress' case "is a classic example of the way the law enforcement authorities have become the yes-men of social media bullies", adding that several individuals who have called for Abd Elhadi’s murder, are still roaming free on the "back of her freedom".

At the onset of Israel's brutal war in Gaza, which has killed at least 43,603 people as of Sunday, a number of Palestinian citizens of Israel were arrested for expressing solidarity with Gaza or criticising Israel's atrocities in the war-battered territory. Among them was singer Dalal Abu Amneh who was interrogated after she was accused of "supporting Hamas".

Israeli authorities have also targeted Palestinian citizens of Israel with threats to remove their citizenship, job terminations, and expulsion from universities.

Meanwhile, Israelis have taken to social media over the past year applauding Israel's onslaught in Gaza, as well as calling for the expulsion of Palestinians from the enclave and incitement of violence against them.