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The 183 prisoners released by Israel were part of a larger exchange agreement with Hamas that has temporarily stopped the war in the Gaza Strip
A former Palestinian prisoner released by Israel is applauded by a crowd after leaving a bus in the occupied city of Ramallah on February 8, 2025. (AFP photo)
More than 100 Palestinian prisoners released from Israeli prisons on Saturday returned to the Gaza Strip, where they were received by many cheers.
The 183 prisoners released by Israel were part of a larger exchange agreement with Hamas that has temporarily stopped the war in the Gaza Strip, which also saw the return of three Israeli hostages released by militants on Saturday.
The three hostages, or Levy, Ohad Ben Ami and Eli Sharabi, were taken during the Hamas attack of October 7, 2023 that lit the conflict. They were brought to the Israeli territory to receive medical treatment and meet with their families after 16 months in captivity.
The fifth change since the truce began last month occurs when the negotiations will begin for the next phase of the high fire, whose goal is to pave the way for a permanent end of the war. Saturday’s exchange also follows President Donald Trump’s comments, suggesting that the United States should take control of the Gaza Strip and eliminate its inhabitants, which caused global outrage.
The Palestinian prison club reported that seven of the released prisoners required hospitalization, citing “brutality” and mistreatment during their time in Israeli prisons.
The agreement, which has led to the release of more than 250 hostages and prisoners, is part of a stop the fire negotiated by Qatar, Egypt and the United States.
The conversations for the next phase of the high fire will begin, but there have been no updates regarding progress.
The ongoing conflict, caused by the October 7 attack of Hamas, has led to more than 48,000 casualties, mostly civilians in Gaza, with more than 1,200 Israeli killed.
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