A total of 200 Palestinian prisoners were released in a joyful atmosphere in the West Bank after Israel released them in exchange for the release of four hostages held by Hamas in Gaza.
More than two hundred two hundred, who were sentenced to life imprisonment in Israeli prisons – and some of them were convicted of multiple murders, including the killing of Israeli civilians. Others have never been accused of committing a crime.
About 70 of the most dangerous criminals across Egypt have been deported to neighboring countries, including Qatar and Turkey.
Lure number will be sent to Gaza. The rest – just over 120 people – will be allowed to return to their homes in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
The Israeli Prison Authority said in a statement: “After completing the necessary activities in prisons and the approval of the political authorities, all the terrorists were released from the Ofer and Ketziot oils.”
The crowds raised some of the highly released prisoners, amid high chants and fireworks after they got out of buses.
Then a stampede occurred while trying to find their loved ones and members of their families, before they were transferred to a sports complex, where the celebrations continued.
“Praise be to God! A wonderful feeling, I cannot describe this feeling! I am in prison six years and two months.”
The youngest Palestinian prisoner, who was released on Saturday, 16 years old. The oldest, Muhammad Al -Tous, was 69 years old. He had spent 39 years in prison, after he was first arrested in 1985 while fighting the Israeli forces.
Another prisoner, Muhammad al -Ardah, was part of a high -level escape from prison in 2021.
121 of the released prisoners were sentenced to life imprisonment.
Some prisoners were detained for short periods, and some of them were not charged with any crime, but they were held under the so -called administrative detention.
The swap process that took place on Saturday was the second exchange since the ceasefire entered into January 19. Three hostages and 90 Palestinian prisoners were released in the first exchange deal.
During the release of prisoners last week, there was a noticeable offer to support Hamas, but on Saturday, the Fatah movement, the ruling party in the West Bank, which dominates the Palestinian Authority, came out strongly to show its support for the prisoners.
Earlier on Saturday, Four Israeli soldiers, who were held by Hamas, were released on October 7, 2023 from Gaza.
Kareena Arif, Daniela Gilboa, Nima Levy, and Lerry Albaj, all of whom were between the ages of 19 and 20, were released to the Red Cross in Gaza City during a great planned delivery process in which dozens of Hamas militants participated.
However, Israel accused Hamas of violating the conditions of the ceasefire because the civilian hostage, Erbil Jews, was not among the released on Saturday.
Israel said it would delay the return scheduled for the displaced Palestinian to northern Gaza, while Hamas insisted that the hostage will be released at the end of next week.
The ceasefire agreement was suspended in January, the war that started when Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023. About 1,200 people were killed and 251 were returned to Gaza as hostages.
The Hamas -running Ministry of Health in Gaza says more than 4,200 Palestinians, the majority of whom were civilians, were killed in the Israeli attack.
