Summary
Palestinians celebrated the release of nearly 2,000 prisoners by Israel as part of a ceasefire deal with Hamas. This exchange involved Israeli hostages being freed by Hamas as well. The released prisoners were welcomed in places like the West Bank and Gaza.
Key Facts
- Israel released nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners under a ceasefire deal with Hamas.
- The prisoners were exchanged for Israeli hostages freed by Hamas.
- Celebrations took place in Beitunia in the West Bank and Khan Younis in Gaza.
- Among those released, about 1,700 had been detained without charges, while 250 were serving sentences.
- Some released prisoners speak of difficult conditions in detention, including torture and unfair treatment.
- Israel exiled 154 of the released prisoners to Egypt, while others went home to East Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Gaza.
- The issue of prisoners is significant to both Israelis, who view them as terrorists, and Palestinians, who see them as freedom fighters.
- Israeli laws allowed the detention of Palestinians as "unlawful combatants" during the conflict without access to lawyers.
