RAMALLAH (Palestinian Territories): Israel is to free 90 inmates on Saturday in exchange for three Israeli hostages in the fourth swap of the Gaza ceasefire, a Palestinian advocacy group said.
“Ninety prisoners will be released tomorrow in exchange for the three Israeli detainees, nine of whom are serving life sentences and 81 of whom have long sentences,” Palestinian Prisoners’ Club spokeswoman Amani Sarahneh told AFP on Friday.
AdvertisementAn Israeli campaign group confirmed the names of the three Israeli hostages to be released on Saturday, who include US and French dual nationals.
The Hostage and Missing Families said the three captives to be released are Yarden Bibas, Keith Seigel, who also has US citizenship, and Ofer Kalderon, who also has French nationality.
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At around dusk, two buses carrying the inmates left from the West Bank’s Ofer Prison after Israel said it had received assurances from mediators over the future “safe release” of captives.
Advertisement (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});Hundreds of joyous Palestinians greeted them when they arrived in Ramallah, an AFP correspondent said.
Flashing a victory sign, the first to disembark from the bus was Zakaria Zubeidi, 49, a former top militant leader jailed for attacks that killed several Israelis.
Advertisement (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});The cheering crowd immediately hoisted him onto their shoulders.
Israel’s prison service confirmed it had freed 110 inmates under the latest exchange, the third hostage-prisoner swap under a January 19 ceasefire deal aimed at ending the war in Gaza.
After more than 15 months of captivity, militants in Gaza earlier freed the three Israelis, as well as five Thais, captured in Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack on Israel.
PM Benjamin Netanyahu had denounced what he called “shocking scenes” during the hostage releases in Khan Yunis, where television images showed gunmen struggling to control hundreds of Gazans seeking to witness the handover.
First to be freed Thursday was 20-year-old Israeli soldier Agam Berger, who was handed over to International Committee of the Red Cross officials in Jabalia, northern Gaza.
Before her release footage showed her on a stage, with masked Hamas members in distinctive green headbands, being prompted to wave to onlookers.
All the freed Israeli and Thai hostages were taken to hospitals after their return to Israel, the military said.
The two other freed Israelis are civilians Gadi Moses, 80, and Arbel Yehud, 29, both of whom also hold German nationality.
Yehud’s family, still awaiting the release of her partner and brother from Gaza, urged future releases to go ahead unhindered.
“We urge everyone not to let this open door close. Everyone must be brought home immediately so that we can heal as a society,” the family said.
Footage released by the Israeli military showed Moses, 80, in the tearful embrace of his family during their reunion at a reception centre in southern Israel.
Netanyahu’s office named the freed Thais as Watchara Sriaoun, Pongsak Tanna, Sathian Suwannakham, Surasak Lamnau and Bannawat Saethao.
The United Nations said that its humanitarian relief agency UNRWA would continue working in all Palestinian territories, including east Jerusalem, despite Israeli legislation coming into force that cuts ties with the organisation.
Israel’s military said Friday it struck “multiple” Hezbollah targets in Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley, two months into a fragile ceasefire with the Lebanese group after major hostilities last year.
The Israeli army missed a January 26 deadline to complete its withdrawal from Lebanon. It now has until February 18.