RAMALLAH, Jan 26 — The Israeli occupation authorities released the second batch of Palestinian prisoners on Saturday as part of the ceasefire agreement with Palestinian factions in Gaza, the Palestine News and Information Agency (WAFA) reported.
According to the Palestinian Commission for Prisoners and Ex-Prisoners Affairs and the Palestinian Prisoners Society, the second batch included 200 prisoners, comprising individuals with life sentences and long prison terms. Among them, 121 prisoners were serving life sentences, and 79 were serving long-term sentences.
The release saw 114 prisoners from Ofer Prison transferred to Ramallah, 16 prisoners returned to Gaza, and 70 exiled outside Palestine.
Among those released is the oldest Palestinian prisoner in Israeli prisons, Mohammad Al-Tous, 67, from the village of Al-Jabaa, south of Bethlehem. Al-Tous had spent 39 years in Israeli prisons.
Another significant release is Raed Al-Saadi, 57, from the town of Silat Al-Harithiya, west of Jenin. Al-Saadi, imprisoned since 1989, is the longest-serving detainee in the Jenin Governorate.
[caption id="attachment_387893" align="aligncenter" width="1243"]
Freed Palestinian prisoners gesture inside a vehicle after being released by Israel as part of a hostages-prisoners swap and a ceasefire deal in Gaza between Hamas and Israel, in Khan, Gaza, Palestine, on January 25, 2025. — Picture by REUTERS[/caption]
The release also included the Abu Hmeid brothers — Nasser, Mohammad, and Sharif — from the Al-Amari refugee camp in Ramallah. The three brothers, who were sentenced to life imprisonment, were exiled outside Palestine. Their brother, Nasser Abu Hmeid, a prominent leader, died in Israeli detention in late 2022, and his body remains in the custody of the Israeli authorities.
During the release process, Israeli occupation forces declared the area near Ofer Prison a closed military zone, dispersing families of detainees and supporters with live ammunition and tear gas.
Meanwhile, hundreds of Palestinians gathered at the Ramallah Entertainment Complex to welcome the 114 freed prisoners from Ofer Prison. The event was attended by Layla Ghannam, the Governor of Ramallah and Al-Bireh, along with several Palestinian leadership figures.
The release marks a significant development in the implementation of the ceasefire agreement, with emotions running high among families and supporters celebrating the return of their loved ones.
— Bernama
[caption id="attachment_387894" align="aligncenter" width="1277"]
Freed Palestinian prisoner Mohammed Al-Arida, who was released as part of the ceasefire deal, looks at his mother as he is welcomed by Palestinians in Araba, near Jenin, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, Palestine, on January 25, 2025. — Picture by REUTERS[/caption]
