RAMALLAH, West Bank (news agencies) — Israel on Saturday released a total of 183 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for three Israeli hostages held in Gaza as the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas continued to gain traction after nearly two weeks.
In a sign of progress, Saturday’s release included for the first time some of the 1,000 detainees from Gaza that Israel has agreed to free during Phase 1 of the deal on condition that they did not participate in Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack that triggered the Israel-Hamas war.
Detained in Gaza on suspicion of militancy, the 111 Palestinians released Saturday have been held without trial since the day after the Oct. 7 attack.
The remaining 72 Palestinians, all arrested from either the West Bank or Gaza before the war, served long sentences or life sentences for deadly attacks against Israelis. They are all men, ranging in age from 30 to 66.
The release of Palestinians from Gaza draws attention to Israel’s mass roundups of men in the enclave during the past 15 months of its military campaign against Hamas. Many were taken to Israel.
Images of Israeli forces rounding up Palestinians in Gaza — showing men stripped to their underwear, sitting or kneeling on the ground, with some bound and blindfolded — have raised concern from the U.N. human rights body. The Israeli military says it arrests those suspected of involvement in Hamas and other militant groups.
In the occupied West Bank, frenzied crowds thronged the Red Cross bus carrying the Palestinians from Israel’s Ofer prison near Ramallah. Supporters lifted the 25 released prisoners into the air, crying, “God is greater!” and “Victory to God!” Women wept as they pulled their long absent husbands into hugs.
“It’s an indescribable feeling, and undoubtedly a mixed feeling,” said Mohammad Kaskus, who was sentenced to 25 years in prison for attacks against Israelis. “We’ve left our brothers behind in captivity, subject to torture, starvation, intimidation and abuse.”
In response, the Israeli Prison Service said that “all prisoners are detained according to the law” and “all basic rights required are fully applied by professionally trained prison guards.”
Another seven prisoners were being transferred to Egypt ahead of their deportation.
The rest arrived in a convoy to the European Hospital in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, where scores of relatives, friends and reporters awaited. The ex-prisoners stuck their heads out the dusty bus windows, waving excitedly to familiar faces in the crowds. Some grasped the outstretched hands of their loved ones who were hoisted onto shoulders of onlookers.
Here’s a look at some prominent Palestinian prisoners released since the ceasefire deal went into effect on Jan. 19:
The Palestinian manager of the Gaza branch of World Vision, a major Christian aid organization, was arrested in 2016 and accused of diverting tens of millions of dollars to Hamas in a high-profile case that drew criticism from rights groups. He was freed on Saturday.
Both el-Halabi, 47, and World Vision vigorously denied the allegations and independent investigations found no proof of wrongdoing. One independent audit found that el-Halabi had enforced internal controls and ordered employees to avoid anyone suspected of Hamas ties.
World Vision has also said that the accusations that el-Halabi transferred 60% of the charity’s annual budget for Gaza to Hamas could not be reconciled with its financial records.
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