Israel Set to Release 110 Palestinians as Part of Ceasefire Prisoner Exchange; Hamas to Free 8 Captives on Its End
The Palestinian Prisoner’s Society has announced that 110 Palestinians will be released from Israeli prisons today as part of the third phase of a ceasefire and captive exchange deal between Israel and Hamas, Al Jazeera reports.
In return, Hamas and other Palestinian groups will release eight captives, including five Thai nationals and three Israelis. The freed Palestinians are expected to arrive in the Radana area of Ramallah around 12pm local time (10:00 GMT). Notably, this release will not include 20 prisoners who will be exiled outside Palestine.
Among those being released is Zakaria Zubeidi, a 49-year-old former resistance fighter and theatre director known for his dramatic jailbreak in 2021. Zubeidi, who once led the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, gained notoriety for his escape from a maximum-security prison, which endeared him to many Palestinians. He founded The Freedom Theatre in the Jenin refugee camp to promote cultural resistance and provide a creative outlet for local residents.
The release of these prisoners comes amid ongoing violence and military operations in the Jenin refugee camp, where Israeli forces have been conducting raids that have resulted in multiple casualties. While the current round of releases will bring the total number of Palestinians freed to 400, Israeli forces have continued to arrest Palestinians in the West Bank, including those accused of expressing support for Hamas.
Before these releases, approximately 10,400 Palestinians were held in Israeli custody, with over 3,300 in administrative detention without charge.
