Israel has released 90 Palestinian prisoners as part of a deal with the terrorist organization Hamas for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, Reuters reports, citing the Israeli Prison Service, which refers to the released Palestinians as terrorists.
According to the report, two buses departed from Ofer military prison, located in the West Bank.
The Times of Israel writes that the release includes 78 residents of the West Bank and 12 residents of East Jerusalem. According to the Ynet portal, among them are 69 women, including one minor, 8 male minors, and 12 men convicted of relatively minor offenses.
A few hours earlier, the Palestinian radical group had freed three Israeli hostages: 24-year-old Romi Gonen, 28-year-old Emily Damari, and 31-year-old Doron Steinbrecher. They were handed over to the International Committee of the Red Cross as part of the first phase of the agreement between the warring parties.
According to the Israel Defense Forces, the freed individuals were transported to Israel under the supervision of military personnel and security forces. They will undergo medical examinations to assess their condition.
Under the terms of the deal between Israel and Hamas, 737 Palestinian prisoners will be released in the first phase. Of these, 296 are serving life sentences. AFP reports that 236 Palestinians will be sent directly to third countries after their release, primarily to Qatar or Turkey.
