Video shows PA president calling to congratulate Palestinian terrorist released in Gaza deal

PA President Mahmoud Abbas has reportedly called to congratulate one of the Palestinian terrorists released earlier today as part of a hostage-ceasefire deal with Hamas.

A video carried by Palestinian outlets shows Fatah prisoner Yasser Abu-Bakr taking a call from Abbas after his release.

A native of the West Bank’s Jenin, Abu-Bakr was sentenced in 2004 to a cumulative 115 years in jail for arming a terror cell that shot up a Netanya hotel lobby in March 2002, wounding some 50 people and killing a nine-month-old infant. The cell’s members also killed two police officers and a civilian bystander in subsequent shootouts.

Israel is expected to release up to 1,904 Palestinian security prisoners in the first, 42-day phase of the Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal, including 737 serving life terms, in return for 33 Israelis held captive in Gaza.

אבו מאזן התקשר לאחד מהמחבלים ששוחררו, יאסר אבו בכר, ובירך אותו על השחרור. אבו בכר היה בגדודי חללי אל-אקצא ושהה במאסר 23 שנה, לאחר שנידון ל-115 שנות מאסר בעקבות תכנון כמה פיגועים ב-2002 – בין השאר פיגוע בנתניה במרץ 2002, בו נרצחה תינוקת בת תשעה חודשים וישראלי נוסף | תיעוד… pic.twitter.com/3vCqnoqIgB

— כאן חדשות (@kann_news) January 25, 2025