Zionist regime released 110 Palestinian prisoners as part of a prisoner exchange deal for eight captives

On Thursday evening, authorities released a group of prisoners comprising 30 minors, 32 Palestinians who had been serving life sentences, and 48 additional inmates with varying sentence lengths.

The majority of the released individuals have returned to their families in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, while 23 have been transferred to Egypt. The group of prisoners freed on Thursday comprised entirely of males, ranging in age from 15 to 69.

Inmates released and transported to the Palestinian territories by Red Cross buses received a jubilant welcome, as thousands of Palestinians celebrated their arrival.

In a significant development on Thursday, prominent Palestinian figures Zakaria Zubeidi, Mohammed Abu Warda, and Mohammed Aradeh were among those released.

According to a report by Al Jazeera, Israeli drones have distributed leaflets over the Gaza Strip cautioning Palestinians against displaying flags, banners, or engaging in any form of celebration related to the release of prisoners.

Israeli military forces frequently engage with gatherings near prisons where Palestinians assemble to celebrate the release of detainees.

Earlier on Thursday, Israeli soldiers opened fire in Beitunia, near a West Bank prison scheduled for the release of Palestinian prisoners, resulting in injuries to 12 Palestinians.

The Palestinian Red Crescent Society reported that two Palestinians sustained injuries from live ammunition, another two were wounded by rubber bullets, and eight more were affected by tear gas.

Israeli forces conducted a series of operations across the occupied West Bank early Thursday, resulting in the arrest of 26 Palestinians, as reported by the Wafa news agency.

Earlier today, Hamas released three Israeli captives—comprising a female soldier and two settlers—alongside five Thai nationals, as part of the third phase of a prisoner exchange agreement. This development sets the stage for Israel to proceed with the scheduled release of 110 Palestinian detainees.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that he has instructed a suspension of the release of Palestinian detainees, citing that the recent transfer of eight captives was carried out under “chaotic” circumstances.

The Israeli Prime Minister announced that the exchange would be postponed until mediators obtained assurances from Hamas regarding “the safe release of our hostages in upcoming rounds.”

On Thursday, amidst a significant presence of masked fighters from Hamas and Islamic Jihad, captives progressed through extensive Palestinian gatherings toward Red Cross vehicles. The movement occurred smoothly and without any incident.

In the wake of a second exchange involving Israeli captives detained in Gaza for Palestinian prisoners, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has directed Israeli military forces to block Palestinians from returning to their residences in northern Gaza.

Israel announced that Hamas had not released a captive whom Israel asserted should have been freed as part of a prior arrangement. However, Hamas refuted the existence of any such agreement.

A security delay resulted in hundreds of thousands of Palestinians being unable to cross an Israeli military barrier for two days before eventually being permitted to return to their homes.

According to reports from al-Awda Hospital, Israeli forces opened fire on crowds on three separate occasions, resulting in the deaths of two individuals and injuring nine others, including a minor.

Israel has withdrawn its forces from multiple regions within Gaza following the implementation of a ceasefire agreement that began last Sunday.

A new ceasefire agreement has been established with the intention of concluding the 15-month-long conflict between Israel and Gaza. This accord seeks to secure the release of hostages currently held in Gaza, in exchange for the liberation of several hundred Palestinian detainees.

Over a six-week period, Hamas is set to release 33 Israeli captives, representing approximately one-third of those held, in a prisoner exchange deal involving almost 2,000 Palestinian detainees.

The Palestinian Prisoners Club, an advocacy organization, reports that among the Palestinian detainees scheduled for release on Thursday, 32 individuals had previously been sentenced to life imprisonment. Additionally, 48 others were serving varying lengths of prison sentences.

In recent negotiations, Hamas has released seven Israeli hostages in exchange for 290 detainees. Nearly all of those freed were Palestinian, with the exception of one individual from Jordan.

According to a statement from the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a fourth exchange is slated for Saturday, during which three Israeli men are expected to be released.