Khaberni - Viral video clips documented scenes from the wedding celebration of the freed Palestinian prisoner Mahmoud Al-Arda, who spent about 28 years in Israeli prisons, including 25 continuous years since 1996, before being freed and deported to Egypt after his release.
In the video captured at his wedding, Al-Arda appeared briefly addressing his bride saying, "I never dreamed I would get married, I remained in prison."
The video clips showed the atmosphere of the wedding ceremony held in the Egyptian capital, Cairo, where Al-Arda resides after his deportation.
The wedding was attended by a number of freed prisoners deported to Egypt, in addition to family members and close friends whom the Israeli occupation allowed to travel to Egypt.
The wedding included the revival of traditional Palestinian customs, including henna ceremonies and wearing the kaffiyeh, alongside the playing of national songs and anthems.
The Israeli occupation deported Mahmoud Al-Arda to Egypt after his liberation on January 25, 2025, as part of the second batch of the prisoner exchange deal between Hamas and Israel.
This batch included 121 prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment, along with 79 detainees with high sentences, as part of the exchange agreement mediated by regional and international bodies.
Mahmoud Al-Arda was one of the leaders of the escape operation from Gilboa Prison, which occurred in September 2021.
The Israeli occupation imposes deportation abroad on a number of freed Palestinian prisoners as part of the release terms in exchange deals, which prevents them from returning to their homes and reuniting with their families in Palestinian territories.
"I never dreamed I would get married"...
— Eye on Palestine (@EyeonPalestine) January 20, 2026
From the wedding of the freed prisoner Mahmoud Al-Arda, A joy worthy of one who endured and triumphed. pic.twitter.com/ktBDhtUvtj
