Monday, 28 November 2005,  "A lioness cub and two Arab-speaking parrots have been kidnapped in a raid in a zoo in Gaza".

Link: Gaza gang seizes lion in zoo raid

July 10, 2007,  Malnourished, declawed and missing some of her teeth and the tip of her tail, Sabrina the lion was returned to the Gaza Zoo on Monday after Hamas fighters rescued her from thieves who stole her two years ago.

On Monday, Hamas militiamen raiding the hideout of a notorious drug ring stumbled upon a lion stolen at riflepoint two years ago from the Gaza Zoo, said a force commander, Abu Hamam al-Deeb.

Militiamen found the 2-year-old lion — as well as drugs and a weapons cache that were the target of the raid — after exchanging fire with the gunmen, al-Deeb said. 

Sabrina was brought back to the Gaza Zoo and reunited with her brother, Sakher, who had avoided capture by resisting the gunmen. The two playfully swatted each other in the face and chased each other. When a zoo guard tried to pet Sabrina, Sakher crouched as if ready to pounce

Zoo officials said the animal's captors had been using her as a prop, charging people 5 shekels, or about $1.20, to be photographed with her.

Saoud al-Shawa, the zoo veterinarian, said the thieves

"had cut off the end of her tail, the black hair that is considered to be the symbol of pride of African lions."

"I am very sad for her," Shawa said. "She must have felt very humiliated."

"Sabrina is very tired and very sick,"  "We will start a long, arduous treatment to ensure she can survive," said Shawa.

"She will only eat minced meat from now on so we feel sorry for her....

They should punish the criminals who did this to her."

Sabrina and Sakher were bought from Egypt soon after their birth in 2005. The zoo had been closed for years but reopened in October 2005 after Israel's withdrawal from the coastal strip.

Sabrina had been stolen at gunpoint about two years ago, soon after she and her brother, Sakher, were brought to Gaza from Egypt as cubs.

Zoo officials said Sakher had roared inconsolably when his sister was stolen. Reunited on Monday, he nuzzled her neck and the two siblings began to play.

 Another interesting thing is, no matter how people like to describe themselves, the truth is always reflected by observing their kids and their pets. Pay attention to the last two if they are anywhere near, ugliness resides closest to those you least suspect!

 And even she was lucky "Rafah zoo levelled in Israel raid"