The release of Palestinian prisoners began Monday morning as part of the exchange deal with Israel. Buses carrying dozens of freed detainees arrived in the city of Beitunia near Ramallah, where they were greeted by large cheering crowds.
The media director of the Palestinian Prisoners’ Office described the release and the Gaza ceasefire as “a great national day.”
According to an official source quoted by Reuters, Israel will release 1,966 Palestinian prisoners today — including 1,716 from Gaza and 250 serving life sentences from the West Bank and Jerusalem.
The exchange is part of the ceasefire agreement that took effect last Friday, which also includes a gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces and the entry of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip.
