The prisoners released were all men, ranging in age from 15 to 69, with nearly two dozen serving life sentences for more egregious crimes transferred to Egypt before further deportation.
Israel released 110 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for three Israeli hostages and five Thai workers. The release marks the third round of exchanges.
Among the 110 released prisoners, 66 were freed in the occupied West Bank, nine were released in the Gaza Strip and 14 went to their homes in Israeli-annexed East Jerusalem, according to Amin Shuman,
Newsweek has reached out to the Jerusalem Municipality for comment via email. The arrests highlight the ongoing tensions between Israel and Palestinians, especially in light of the ceasefire that ended a major conflict.
Israel’s military says it won’t complete its withdrawal from southern Lebanon by Sunday as outlined in its ceasefire agreement with Hezbollah militants.
The sudden expansion of Israeli security operations in the West Bank has killed at least 10 people and follows the start of the delicate ceasefire process in Gaza, by which Israeli hostages are released in stages and will also see the gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces.
The release of more than 100 Palestinian prisoners as laid out in the Israel-Hamas cease-fire deal had been in doubt after crowds in southern Gaza surrounded hostages who were being freed.
Crowds of cheering Palestinians greeted prisoners released by Israel as they arrived in the West Bank city of Ramallah Saturday.
Crowds greet Palestinian prisoners after being released from Israeli prison in the West Bank city of Ramallah, 30 January, 2025
Israel released 110 Palestinian prisoners on Thursday, in exchange for three Israeli hostages held in captivity in Gaza
The sometimes chaotic exchange process briefly delayed Israel’s release of 110 Palestinian prisoners and underscored the fragility of the ceasefire that began earlier this month.