Israel freed 90 Palestinian prisoners and detained on Monday following the return of three Israeli hostages who were freed from Hamas captivity in Gaza. Outside Ofer prison, near Ramallah in the West Bank, Palestinians gathered to welcome the freed detainees, with fireworks lighting up the sky as white buses ferried them through the gates.
The Palestinian Authority Commission for Prisoners Affairs confirmed that those released were women and minors. Israel had detained these individuals on various security-related crimes, ranging from stone throwing to accusations of attempted murder.
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Palestinians criticized the late-night timing of the release as a deliberate attempt to curtail the celebrations. The Israeli military, which maintains control of the West Bank, issued strict warnings against public celebrations.
Among those released was Khalida Jarrar, 62, a leading figure in the Widespread Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP). The PFLP, a secular left-wing group, was known for its attacks on Israel in the 1970s, but has recently reduced its militant activities. Jarrar had been held under administrative detention orders since December 2023.
Other notable releases included Dalal Khaseeb, 53, sister of the late Hamas official Saleh Arouri, who was killed in an Israeli airstrike in Beirut in January 2024, and Abla Abdelrasoul, wife of imprisoned PFLP leader Ahmad Saadat.
This exchange is part of the initial phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas. The deal stipulates that Hamas will release 33 Israeli hostages from Gaza within six weeks, while Israel will release approximately 2,000 prisoners and detainees from the West Bank and Gaza.
