3rd exchange of prisoner swap starts in Gaza Strip
The third round of prisoner exchange has begun in besieged Gaza Strip with release of an Israeli soldier, while two other Israeli captives and 110 Palestinians, including 30 children, are set to be released later on Thursday.
In a statement on Thursday, the occupying regime’s army said that Israeli soldier Agam Berger was released by the Palestinian Hamas resistance movement earlier in the day under the ceasefire agreement between Israel and the movement.
“The returning captive has just been transferred to Israeli army forces in the Gaza Strip,” it said, according to Press TV.
The al-Qassam Brigades of Hamas handed over the Israeli soldier to the Red Cross in Jabalya Camp in northern Gaza.
Two other Israelis, namely settlers Arbel Yehoud and Gadi Mozes, plus five Thai nationals are also set to be released later in the day. In return, 110 Palestinian prisoners, including 30 children, are also due to be freed by the regime on Thursday.
According to the Palestinian Prisoners Club advocacy group, of the Palestinian prisoners to be released today, 32 had received life sentences, and 48 were serving prison terms of different duration.
In the last two exchanges, Hamas released seven Israeli captives in return for 290 prisoners, nearly all of whom were Palestinians, except for one Jordanian.
A fourth exchange scheduled for Saturday will involve the release of three Israeli men, according to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office.
MNA
