Israel releases 32 Palestinians in prisoner swap deal
RAMALLAH, Palestine (AA) – Thirty-two Palestinians were released from Israeli jails on Saturday as part of the fourth batch of the prisoner swap deal between Israel and Hamas.
The freed prisoners were handed over to the International Red Cross from the Ofer Prison facility near Ramallah in the central occupied West Bank, in line with the terms of the cease-fire and prisoner swap deal that took effect on January 19.
According to a media correspondent, hundreds of Palestinians gathered near the Ramallah Cultural Palace to welcome the freed prisoners, waving Palestinian flags and chanting in support of the Palestinian resistance and Gaza.
Despite earlier warnings by the Israeli army, the crowd gathered to receive the prisoners, who raised victory signs in defiance of Israeli orders.
Many of the released prisoners appeared in poor health, with some barely able to walk. They were taken to hospitals in Ramallah for medical checks and treatment, the correspondent added.
Commenting on the freed Palestinians’ poor health, the Hamas resistance group said this confirmed the brutality of what Palestinian prisoners endure in Israeli jails.
Hamas described these violations as “war crimes and crimes against humanity that require immediate intervention by the international community, the UN and the rights’ group.”
Meanwhile, the International Red Cross staff were ‘angry’ over the way Israel released the Palestinian prisoners on Saturday as they were led out in shackles with their hands behind their heads, according to the Israeli daily Haaretz.
Earlier, the Al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, released three Israeli captives from Gaza and handed them over to the Red Cross. The Israeli prisoners, by contrast, appeared in good health and were released according to the decorum.
A total of 183 Palestinians are expected to be released from Israeli jails, including 111 who were arrested by the Israeli army in Gaza after October 7, 2023, according to the Hamas-run Prisoners’ Information Office.
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