International Courant
Ninety Palestinians have been launched from Israeli prisons and had been greeted by giant crowds of cheering kinfolk, mates and supporters as they returned to the occupied West Financial institution within the first prisoner swap of the Hamas-Israel ceasefire, following the discharge of three Israeli prisoners in Gaza. .
At round 1 a.m. native time (11 p.m. GMT) on Monday, Pink Cross buses carrying the 90 Palestinian prisoners arrived in Ramallah within the occupied West Financial institution, the place they had been greeted by 1000’s of individuals, regardless of warnings from Israeli forces that celebrations wouldn’t be allowed . .
The liberated Palestinians included 69 ladies and 21 teenage boys – some as younger as 12 – from the occupied West Financial institution and Jerusalem.
Amongst them was Khalida Jarrar, 62, a number one member of the left-wing Standard Entrance for the Liberation of Palestine, who was held in solitary confinement for six months underneath “administrative detention,” which permits Israeli authorities to jail suspects indefinitely with out cost or courtroom . pronunciation.
Freed Palestinian prisoners on a Pink Cross bus upon arrival in Ramallah, occupied West Financial institution, on January 20, 2025 (Mussa Qawasma/Reuters)
Within the occupied West Financial institution metropolis of Ramallah, crowds lifted most of the returning prisoners onto their shoulders in an emotional present of help, whereas others shouted and whistled. Some who attended the rally carried the flags of Fatah, Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad and different armed resistance teams.
Seven hours earlier, three Israeli feminine prisoners of their mid-20s to early 30s had been launched in Gaza.
Bushra al-Tawil, a Palestinian journalist jailed in Israel in March 2024, was additionally among the many prisoners launched on Monday.
Tawil mentioned she began her journey at 3am (0100 GMT) on Sunday morning, when she was taken from one other Israeli jail forward of her launch. Within the second jail she was held with different Palestinians awaiting their launch.
“The ready was extraordinarily arduous. However thank God we had been positive we might be launched at any second,” she mentioned.
Tawil mentioned her father, who can be in an Israeli jail, will even be launched quickly.
“I used to be apprehensive about him. He’s nonetheless a prisoner, however I’ve simply acquired excellent news that he might be launched as a part of this deal,” she added.
A launched Palestinian prisoner poses for a photograph after being launched from an Israeli jail on January 20, 2025 (Ammar Awad/Reuters)
Amanda Abu Sharkh, 23, from Ramallah, was amongst a whole lot of people that gathered to greet the launched prisoners.
“We got here right here to witness it and really feel the feelings, identical to the households of the prisoners being launched immediately,” Abu Sharkh mentioned.
“All of the prisoners launched immediately really feel like household to us. They’re a part of us, even when they aren’t associated by blood,” she informed AFP information company.
Mohammed, 20, mentioned he got here from Ramallah together with his mates as quickly as he heard the prisoners can be launched.
Not too long ago launched from Israel’s Ofer jail, he expressed “nice pleasure” on the considered households being reunited.
“I do know lots of people in jail, there are harmless individuals, kids and girls,” he mentioned.
The prisoner swap between Hamas and Israel is the primary of its form since November 2023.
The precise variety of Palestinians who might be launched as a part of the ceasefire remains to be unknown, with reported estimates starting from round 1,000 to nearly 2,000.
Below the primary part of the deal, Hamas is anticipated to return a complete of 33 Israeli prisoners over the following 42 days – with the following launch on Saturday.
The second part of ceasefire negotiations is because of begin in two weeks.
Greater than 46,000 Palestinians have been killed for the reason that battle started on October 7, and almost 90 p.c of Gaza’s inhabitants has been forcibly displaced on account of Israeli evacuation orders and assaults.
Tears and hugs greet 90 Palestinian ladies and youngsters free of Israeli prisons | Gaza information
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