A total of 200 Palestinian prisoners have been released to jubilant scenes in the West Bank after Israel freed them in exchange for four female hostages held by Hamas in Gaza.
More than half of the 200 people released were serving life sentences in Israeli prisons – some were convicted of multiple murders, including those of Israeli civilians. The others were never charged with a crime.
Approximately 70 of the most serious criminals were deported to neighboring countries via Egypt, including Qatar and Turkey.
A small number will be sent to Gaza. The rest – more than 120 – will be allowed to return to their homes in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
“After the completion of the necessary activities in the prisons and the approval of the political authorities, all terrorists were released from the OFER and Ktziot prisons,” Israel’s prisons said in a statement.
Some of the released prisoners were hoisted high by the crowd to loud cheers and fireworks after they got off the bus.
Then there was a scramble as they tried to find their loved ones and families. They were then transported to the sports complex where the celebrations continued.
“Thank God! It’s an amazing feeling, I can’t explain this feeling! I’ve been in prison for 6 years and 2 months,” said prisoner Bakker Kawish, who said he was one of the Gray Prisoners. I said after getting off one of the buses wearing fatigue.
The youngest Palestinian prisoner released on Saturday was 16 years old. The oldest, Mohammed al-Tooth, was 69 years old. He spent 39 years in prison and was first arrested in 1985 while fighting the Israeli army.
Another prisoner, Mohammad al-Adha, was part of a famous prison break in 2021.
A total of 121 prisoners released were serving life sentences.
Some prisoners were held for short periods, and some were held under what is known as administrative detention, although they were never charged with a crime.
Saturday’s swap was the second such exchange since the ceasefire took effect on January 19. Three hostages and 90 Palestinian prisoners were released in the first swap.
There was a notable show of support for Hamas during the release of prisoners last week, but on Saturday Fatah, the West Bank’s ruling party that controls the Palestinian Authority (PA), stepped out in force to show support for the prisoners. did.
Earlier on Saturday, four female Israeli soldiers taken hostage by Hamas on October 7, 2023 were released from Gaza.
Karina Ariev, Daniella Gilboa, Naama Levy and Liri Albag, all between the ages of 19 and 20, were released to the Red Cross in Gaza City during a heavily choreographed handover involving Hamas gunmen.
However, Israel accused Hamas of violating the terms of the ceasefire.
Israel said it would delay the evacuated Palestinians from making plans for northern Gaza, but Hamas insisted the hostages would be released next weekend.
The ceasefire deal in January ended the war that started when Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023. Approximately 1,200 people were killed and 251 were taken back to Gaza as hostages.
More than 47,200 Palestinians, the majority civilians, were killed in the Israeli attack, Gaza’s Hamaslan Health Ministry said.
