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Israel released 90 Palestinian prisoners and detainees on Monday following the return of three Israeli hostages who were freed from Hamas captivity in Gaza. Outside Ofer prison, near Ramallah in the West Bank, Palestinians gathered to welcome the released detainees, with fireworks lighting up the sky as white buses transported them through the gates.
The Palestinian Authority’s Commission for Prisoners’ Affairs confirmed that the released individuals comprised women and minors. Israel had detained these people for various security-related offences, ranging from stone-throwing to allegations of attempted murder.
Palestinians criticised the late-night timing of the release as a deliberate attempt to reduce celebrations. The Israeli military, which maintains control of the West Bank, issued strict warnings against public celebrations.
Among those released was Khalida Jarrar, 62, a prominent figure in the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP). The PFLP, a secular leftist group, was known for attacks against Israel in the 1970s but has reduced its militant activities recently. Jarrar had been held under administrative detention orders since December 2023.
Other notable releases included Dalal Khaseeb, 53, sister of the late Hamas official Saleh Arouri, who died in an Israeli airstrike in Beirut in January 2024, and Abla Abdelrasoul, wife of imprisoned PFLP leader Ahmad Saadat.
This exchange forms part of the initial phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas. The arrangement stipulates that Hamas will free 33 Israeli hostages from Gaza over six weeks, whilst Israel releases approximately 2,000 prisoners and detainees from the West Bank and Gaza.
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