Driving the news:
As part of the prisoner exchange agreement mediated by international parties, the al-Qassam Brigades — the armed wing of Hamas — released 20 Israeli captives in exchange for 1,968 Palestinian prisoners, including hundreds serving life or long-term sentences.
Why it matters:
It has been said that he final lists of Palestinian prisoners to be released, presented by the resistance forces, were approved after complex negotiations, so the large-scale release marks a significant development.
The big picture:
This was the first phase of the ceasefire deal reached between Hamas and the Israeli regime, with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) facilitating the prisoner handover from both sides. According to reports, 1,718 of the freed prisoners were from Gaza, and 250 were serving life sentences in Israeli prisons.
Zoom in:
Ninety-six long-term and life-sentenced prisoners from Israel’s Ofer prison near Ramallah were transferred to the Ramallah Cultural Palace in Beitunia, where hundreds of family members gathered to welcome them.
Another group of prisoners was freed from the Negev prison and moved toward the Gaza Strip.
The ICRC coordinated the process and informed the Palestinian Health Ministry that many of the released detainees were elderly or in poor health due to years of neglect and medical negligence in prison.
State of play:
Before the prisoner convoy departed Ofer prison, Israeli forces opened live fire on families gathered outside, injuring one young man in the leg. In addition, the regime’s security apparatus warned the families of Jerusalem-based prisoners against holding any public ceremonies or raising Palestinian flags.
The other side:
In a statement, the Israeli army threatened West Bank residents with arrest if they organized gatherings. The statement added that the army had already detained several people in recent weeks for “incitement and support for the resistance.”It also warned the freed prisoners that they “remain under constant surveillance” and would face the same fate as others if they “return to resistance activities.”
Catch up quick:
Local media and the Palestinian Prisoners’ Information Office reported that 143 prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment would be exiled outside the West Bank, including from Jerusalem. Two buses and one ICRC ambulance transported the released detainees to Ramallah, where their families had gathered in anticipation despite Israeli restrictions.
Between the lines:
The ICRC confirmed that many released prisoners showed visible signs of poor health and malnutrition, with several suffering from skin diseases linked to medical negligence inside Israeli prisons. Israeli media, meanwhile, said the 20 released Israeli captives were in “good physical condition” and had been able to walk unassisted into ICRC vehicles.
Go deeper:
Red Cross Buses Enter Israel's Ofer Prison to Transfer Palestinians
Zohre Khazaee - ahmad shirzadian
