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Rabat – Israeli authorities confirmed releasing 200 Palestinians this Saturday afternoon, as part of the ceasefire signed with Hamas.
The prisoners were released “after the conclusion of the necessary activities in the prisons and the approval of political authorities,” management at the Israeli prisons of Ofer and Ketziot authorities said in a statement.
Seventy of the 200 freed prisoners were transported to regional countries, with some expected to receive medical treatment.
Earlier today, Hamas published the list of the freed Palestinian prisoners.
Israel released the Palestinian prisoners after Hamas freed four female Israeli soldiers this morning.
Hamas handed over the four Israeli captives to the Red Cross in Gaza city square. They appeared healthy and smiling, greeting crowds at the exchange location.
The prisoner swap represents a critical phase of the ongoing negotiation process between Israel and Hamas.
This marks the second hostage exchange under the current ceasefire agreement between the two parties.
The truce went into effect last Sunday with the release of three Israeli female civilian hostages and 90 Palestinian detainees.
The exchange is the fruit of diplomatic efforts by the US, Qatar, and Egypt to achieve
temporary peace, reach a ceasefire in war-torn Gaza, and release captives on both sides of the long-standing conflict.
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Meanwhile, Israel accused Hamas today of not respecting the terms of the deal, claiming that it should have released all female civilian captives, including a hostage named Yehoud.
The Palestinian side confirmed that Yehoud is alive and will be released next Saturday.
Still, Israel said today that it would block Palestinians from returning to northern Gaza until the case of Yehoud is resolved.
Despite the ongoing ceasefire, the Israeli Occupation Forces have continued killing Palestinian civilians in the occupied West Bank.
In such a fragile and still alarming context, observers and world leaders hope the exchange of captives will uphold and help sustain the much-needed ceasefire while providing a platform to discuss permanent peace and stability in the region.
