183 Palestinian security prisoners released after Hamas sets free 3 civilian hostages

Israel freed 183 Palestinian prisoners on Saturday, shortly after three Israeli hostages taken by Hamas on October 7 were released by the terror group in the Gaza Strip.

According to Palestinian authorities, 18 of the prisoners were serving life sentences. Over 100 were from the Gaza Strip, arrested after October 7, 2023, and were being held without trial.

Thirty prisoners, including three serving life sentences, were released for each of the hostages Keith Siegel and Ofer Kalderon, and 12 prisoners serving life sentences were released for Yarden Bibas.

In addition to the specified number of Palestinian prisoners to be freed per released hostage, Israel has also agreed to release over 1,000 Gazan detainees over the course of the agreement’s implementation.

On Saturday, Israel freed 111 detainees who were detained by troops in the Gaza Strip but were not involved in the October 7 onslaught.

Of the 183 released in total, 150 were sent back to or deported to the Gaza Strip, 32 were released to the West Bank, and one was sent to Egypt.

Inmates being sent to the West Bank were released from Ofer Prison near Ramallah, the Israel Prison Service said, while other prisoners were freed from Ktzi’ot Prison in southern Israel and brought to the Kerem Shalom Crossing into Gaza, near the Egyptian border.

“Prison Service troops are acting to release terrorists in line with the diplomatic deal for the return of the hostages, in full coordination with all security services,” the IPS said in a statement.

According to the Ynet news site, those released included Egyptian national Fareeq Barikat, jailed for his role in a deadly suicide bombing at an Eilat bakery in 2007, and Salim Awad, a Fatah member involved in the planning of a 2002 attack on the West Bank settlement of Homesh in which three Israelis were killed.

One of the most prominent Palestinians released was Gaza aid worker Mohammed el-Halabi, who was sentenced to 12 years in prison for funding the Hamas terror group in a high-profile case that drew criticism from rights groups.

El-Halabi had worked as the Palestinian manager of the Gaza branch of World Vision, a major Christian aid organization.

He was arrested in 2016 and accused of diverting tens of millions of dollars to Hamas. Both el-Halabi, 47, and World Vision vigorously denied the allegations.

Also among those released on Saturday was Shadi Amouri, a Fatah operative who was convicted of involvement in a June 2002 suicide bombing on a bus near Megiddo in northern Israel which killed 17 Israelis, including 13 IDF soldiers, and injured over 40.

Amouri was sentenced to 17 life terms for his role in the attack.

Another Fatah operative released on Saturday was Ashraf Abu Srour, who was involved in the 2000 killing of IDF Sgt. Shahar Vekret. Abu Srour was at the time a member of the Palestinian Authority security services.

Saturday’s releases take the number of Palestinian prisoners set free under the ceasefire and hostage deal to 583.

‘Indescribable joy’

Three buses carrying Palestinian prisoners arrived to a cheerful crowd in the territory’s southern city of Khan Yunis on Saturday.

The prisoners, many wearing grey prison uniforms, were greeted by hundreds of Gazans who gathered around the buses as they approached the city’s European Hospital, an AFP journalist reported.

Rabi al-Kharoubi, 40, who came to see their arrival said he felt “indescribable joy” at seeing them freed. “We are proud of them.”

“I saw the shock in their eyes as they looked at Rafah and Khan Younis, destroyed, with piles of rubble and streets completely ruined,” he added.

The prisoners were to undergo medical checks at the hospital before heading to their homes.

“In blood and spirit, we shall redeem you, prisoner!” chanted some in the crowd as the men left the buses one by one.

According to the Palestinian Prisoners’ Club in Ramallah, 150 of the 183 detainees released on Saturday as part of the truce between Israel and Hamas were to be transferred to Gaza.

“This is a new day of victory for our people. Today, a new group of our heroes is being released, seeing freedom despite the occupation’s will,” a Hamas official who did not wish to be identified told AFP.

‘These children are the ambassadors of freedom’

Stepping off a bus in Ramallah with two dozen other released prisoners on Saturday after 23 years imprisonment, Ata Abdelghani had more than his freedom to look forward to.

The 55-year-old was also to meet his twin sons, Zain and Zaid, for the first time.

The encounter was made possible by his release in an ongoing hostage-prisoner exchange as part of a January ceasefire deal for the Gaza Strip agreed by Israel and Hamas.

The twins, now 10 years old, were conceived while Abdelghani was incarcerated after his sperm was smuggled out of his prison.

He had been serving a life sentence on a number of counts including murder, according to a list released by the Palestinian Prisoners’ Club in Ramallah.

“These children are the ambassadors of freedom, the future generation,” Abdelghani said as he hugged the boys tightly.

“It’s hard to describe in words,” Abdelghani said.

“My thoughts are scattered. I need a great deal of composure to control myself, to steady my nerves, to absorb this overwhelming moment.”

He added that the situation in prison had been “difficult, tragic”.