In the second phase of a swap deal with Hamas, Israeli authorities released 200 Palestinian prisoners. Abdullah Zaghari, head of the Palestinian Prisoners Club, reported that these prisoners were handed over to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
Among those released, 114 were freed from the Ofer prison in the West Bank, 16 were taken to Gaza via the Kerem Shalom crossing, and 70 were sent to Egypt. Palestinian officials in the Ramallah governorate coordinated the release process.
According to the Authority for Prisoner Affairs, of the 200 released prisoners, 121 were serving life sentences, and 79 had lengthy sentences.
Riyad Arafat, one of the freed prisoners, shared his experience, saying that inmates in Israeli jails endure great suffering. They are routinely beaten morning and night, deprived of food, leading him to lose 15 kilograms. Yet, all of this was in pursuit of freedom and for Palestine.
Prisoner Ihab Al-Sharafa expressed his overwhelming emotions, describing his release as unreal—a dreamlike experience—thanking the divine for his emergence from 'this grave' after 23 years.
Ahmad Hussein’s mother, whose son was serving a 40-year sentence, conveyed her ineffable joy, deeply grateful to embrace her son after 19 years.
Israel and Hamas Reach Ceasefire Agreement
Israel has promised to release 50 Palestinian prisoners for each Israeli female soldier freed by Hamas. Officials estimate that four hostages will be exchanged for 200 Palestinian prisoners under this agreement.
The ceasefire, negotiated with support from Qatar, Egypt, and the United States, marks the first sustained truce since November 2023 following brief clashes. During this phase, Hamas agreed to release 33 hostages in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails. Further negotiations will focus on freeing the remaining hostages and possibly withdrawing Israeli forces from Gaza.
Netanyahu Loses Allies Following Ceasefire
After the ceasefire took effect in Gaza, three allies from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's cabinet resigned. They were members of the far-right Otzma Yehudit Party. A statement from the party declared that it will no longer be part of the government. The party’s leader, Itamar Ben Gvir, served as the Minister of National Security in Netanyahu’s cabinet.
