In a significant development under the Gaza ceasefire agreement, Israel has released 200 Palestinian prisoners, including 121 serving life sentences, with 70 of them being deported outside the Palestinian territories.
This release marks the second phase of the prisoner exchange between Hamas and Israel. Earlier, Hamas had freed four female Israeli soldiers, identified as Karina Ariev, Daniella Gilboa, Naama Levy, and Liri Albag, who had been held captive since October 2023.
The Prisoners’ Media Office reported that among the released Palestinians, 137 were affiliated with Hamas, 26 with Fatah, 29 with Islamic Jihad, three with the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), one with the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP), and four without any party affiliation. Notably, Mohammed al-Tous, the longest-serving Palestinian prisoner who was arrested in 1985, was among those released.
The initial phase of the ceasefire, which began on January 19, 2025, involved Israel releasing 90 Palestinian detainees in exchange for three Israeli women captives freed by Hamas. The ongoing truce aims to facilitate further prisoner exchanges and establish sustained calm, with the ultimate goal of reaching a permanent ceasefire and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.
This ceasefire has temporarily halted a conflict that has resulted in significant casualties and widespread destruction in Gaza. The international community continues to monitor the situation closely, hoping for a lasting resolution to the longstanding tensions in the region.
