Breaking News: Israel Releases Hundreds of Palestinian Prisoners After Delay

Following the arrival in Israel of the bodies of the last four Israeli prisoners expected to be handed over in the first phase of the ceasefire and prisoner swap agreement in Gaza, the Palestinian prisoners were also released. The Palestinian prisoners released from Ofer Military Prison in the occupied West Bank and Ketziot Prison in southern Israel were handed over to Red Cross teams.

The Israeli army raided the town of Bitunia in the occupied West Bank before the convoy's passage.

A Red Cross convoy leaving Ofer Military Prison and arriving in the occupied West Bank city of Ramallah was welcomed by a large crowd in front of the museum in Ramallah named after the world-famous Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish.

With the delayed completion of the seventh round of the prisoner swap, all 33 Israeli prisoners who were supposed to be released in the first phase of the deal have been handed over, while the number of freed Palestinians has risen to 1,776.

⁠IT WAS ANNOUNCED THAT 641 PALESTINIANS WILL BE RELEASED IN EXCHANGE FOR THE 6 RELEASED ISRAELI PRISONERS

In a statement made by the Hamas-affiliated Prisoners Media Office, it was announced that Israel will release 641 Palestinian prisoners, 151 of whom were sentenced to life or long-term prison terms.

It was reported that 42 of the 151 captives will go to the occupied West Bank and Jerusalem, 12 to Gaza, while 97 Palestinian captives will be sent abroad.

It was also reported that 490 more Palestinian prisoners taken from the Gaza Strip after October 7, 2023, including 45 women and children, will be freed in Gaza.

The release of 620 of these Palestinian prisoners was delayed by Israel.

ISRAEL SUSPENDS RELEASE OF PALESTINIAN PRISONERS

Hamas released six Israeli prisoners held in the Gaza Strip on February 22 as part of the seventh round of prisoner swaps.

Despite the release of Israeli prisoners by Hamas, Israel announced that it was suspending the release of Palestinian prisoners. Hamas and Israel announced that the crisis was resolved as a result of talks with mediators.

GAZA GOVERNMENT DISCUSSED HUMANITARIAN AND LEGAL ISSUES REGARDING THE PRISON EXCHANGE PROCESS WITH THE RED CROSS DELEGATION

Ismail al-Sawabite, the director of the government's media office in Gaza, asked the Red Cross delegation questions about the treatment of the Israeli and Palestinian sides during the prisoner exchange process during the meeting held in Gaza City.

Sevabite pointed out the humane and ethical method Hamas used to deliver the bodies of Israeli prisoners to the Red Cross authorities, and raised the question of why the same method was not applied to Palestinian prisoners, and reminded that Israel continues to deliver the bodies of Palestinian prisoners it detains using "inhumane and uncivilized" methods.

Recalling that Israel delivered the bodies of Palestinian prisoners in plastic bags "in a degrading manner and contrary to international standards" and that the Red Cross authorities did not accept to receive the bodies in this manner, Sevabite asked the International Committee of the Red Cross to explain how they will proceed in the face of these violations by Israel.