Palestinian crowd welcomes freed security prisoners with flags of Hamas, other terror groups

Palestinian men waving Hamas (green) and Hezbollah (yellow) flags sit on top of a Red Cross bus carrying released security prisoners from Ofer military prison in the West Bank are met by a crowd of family members and friends in Beitunia, outside Ramallah, in the early hours of January 20, 2025. (Photo by John Wessels / AFP)
Palestinian men waving Hamas (green) and Hezbollah (yellow) flags sit on top of a Red Cross bus carrying released security prisoners from Ofer military prison in the West Bank are met by a crowd of family members and friends in Beitunia, outside Ramallah, in the early hours of January 20, 2025. (Photo by John Wessels / AFP)

Hundreds of people cheer, chant and honk car horns as two buses carrying Palestinian security prisoners freed from an Israeli jail arrive in the West Bank town of Beitunia.

The buses hold some of the 90 prisoners released as part of the Gaza ceasefire deal that began Sunday and saw three Israeli hostages freed by the Hamas terror group after more than 15 months in captivity.

Members of the crowd climb atop the lead bus and unfurl a Hamas flag.

They are joined by others waving the flags of Fatah, Islamic Jihad and several other Palestinian factions, including terror groups, as well as the Palestinian flag and the flag of Lebanon’s Hezbollah terror group.

Inside the bus, a handful of freed female prisoners smile and flash V-signs while a Red Cross staff member watches on.

Palestinian youths raise national flags along with Hamas (green) and Hezbollah (yellow) banners as they sit atop a Red Cross bus carrying dozens of security prisoners set free by Israel in the early hours of January 20, 2025, in the West Bank town of Beitunia, on the outskirts of Ramallah. (Photo by Zain JAAFAR / AFP)

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