Israel releases 641 Palestinian detainees
641 Palestinian detainees have been released from Israeli jails as part of the delayed seventh batch of the Hamas-Israel prisoner exchange deal. The detainees, some showing signs of mistreatment during Israeli detention, were handed over… pic.twitter.com/DIsWQZTYCm
— Middle East Monitor (@MiddleEastMnt) February 27, 2025
The Palestinian resistance in Gaza handed over the bodies of four Israeli captives to the Red Cross early on Thursday in a simultaneous exchange for the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, days before the first phase of the ceasefire agreement expires, the Palestinian Information Centre has reported.
According to a post on social media, one of those released was Nael Barghouti, who has served 45 years in prison in the occupation state. He is, said Al-Jarmaq News on X, “The world’s longest-serving prisoner.”
Israel said that the caskets containing the captives’ remains were delivered with the help of Egyptian mediators through an Israeli crossing.
At around the same time, a Red Cross convoy carrying dozens of released Palestinian prisoners left Israel’s Ofer Prison and headed for the West Bank town of Beitunia, where hundreds of well-wishers jostled for a glimpse of the bus as it arrived. Friends and families greeted the released prisoners, hugging them and taking photos. The released prisoners wore Israeli prison service T-shirts containing racist slurs, but they took them off and set them on fire.
Hours later, buses carrying hundreds of other Palestinian prisoners arrived in the Gaza city of Khan Younis, with some men kissing the ground as they emerged from the buses. According to Al Jazeera, 456 prisoners arrived in Gaza.
Recent photo of Nael Barghouti, the world’s longest-serving prisoner, following his release from Israeli occupation jails after spending 45 years [@Aljarmaqnetnews/X]
“The only way for the release of Israeli captives is through negotiation and the Israeli government’s respect for what has been agreed upon,” commented Hamas. Following the release of the Palestinian prisoners today, the movement reiterated its full commitment to the provisions of the ceasefire agreement and its readiness to engage in talks over the second phase of the deal.
It warned that any attempt by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his government to backtrack on the agreement or obstruct its implementation would only lead to more heartache for the captives and their families.
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