The success of a new exchange is the last indication that the fragile cease-fire signed between the two parties last month, which almost collapsed at the start of the week on the background of divergences between the Hebrew state and Hamas , seems to be holding.
Hundreds of Palestinian prisoners were released by Israel on Saturday during the last exchange for hostages captured by Hamas, while The fragile ceasefire was maintained after a Impasse on the modalities of the liberation of the Israelis.
Three Israeli hostages were released in exchange for these prisoners.
Israel considers prisoners released as terrorists, while the Palestinians consider them as fighters of freedom who resist an Israeli military occupation of several decades.
Almost all the Palestinians have a friend or a family member who was imprisoned by Israel, for militant attacks or less serious crimes such as stones, protest or belonging to a prohibited political group.
Some of the liberated prisoners had been imprisoned for months, or even years, without trials, as part of what is called “administrative detention”.
Among those who were released on Saturday, 36 had been sentenced to perpetuity for their involvement in deadly attacks against Israelis.
Only 12 of them were allowed to go home to the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem, where their families and their sympathizers stormed the minibus of the Red Cross by chanting “God is the greatest” and By pushing cries of joy.
Four of them were taken directly to the hospital for urgent care, according to Palestinian doctors.
As part of the agreement, 24 Other persons sentenced to life prison will be sent to exile.
THE 333 Other prisoners had been detained in the Gaza Strip after the attack of October 7, 2023 by Hamas and during the invasion of the enclave by Israel.
The mother of the prisoner released Hassan Awis said that she was feeling again alive after finding her son on Saturday.
“When I saw my son, my soul came back to me,” she said.
The two parties proceeded to Six exchanges since the start of the ceasefireon January 19, and 24 hostages and more than 1,000 Palestinian prisoners were released during the first phase of the truce.
The war could resume if no agreement is concluded on the second phasemore complex, which provides for the return of all the hostages captured during the attack on Hamas on October 7, 2023 and an indefinite extension of the truce.
