Palestinian Official Unveils Details of Prisoner Exchange: Number of Palestenian Individuals Set for Release
Watan-The President of the Palestinian ‘Prisoners Affairs Commission,’ Qadura Fares, stated on Tuesday that the potential ‘prisoner exchange deal’ reached through Qatari mediation with the Israeli entity will include the release of 350 Palestinian children and 82 women.
Fares also mentioned in statements to ‘Al-Arabiya’ that Israel has provided a list of names of the children and women whose release is sought as part of the deal.
The Israeli Broadcasting Corporation ‘Kan’ reported on Monday that Israel has accepted the conditions set by the Hamas movement for a prisoner release deal and is awaiting the movement’s response.
On Tuesday, Ismail Haniyeh stated that the movement has submitted ‘its response to the brothers in Qatar and the mediators,’ and that they are nearing an agreement on a ceasefire.
While no other details about the potential agreement have been provided, Azat al-Rashq, a Hamas leader, mentioned to Al Jazeera on Tuesday that the negotiations have focused on the duration of the ceasefire, arrangements for delivering aid to Gaza, and the exchange of Israeli detainees held by Hamas with Palestinian prisoners in Israel.
Al-Rashq added that both sides will release women and children, and noted that Qatar, mediating in the negotiations, will announce the details of the ceasefire.
Earlier, senior American and Israeli officials stated that Israel and Hamas are on the verge of reaching an agreement for the release of hostages, in exchange for the release of dozens of Palestinian prisoners and a temporary cessation of the ongoing war since October 7th.
Hamas has proposed to Tel Aviv the release of several Israeli prisoners, including those with foreign nationalities, in exchange for a ceasefire lasting several days, the entry of fuel and food into Gaza, and the release of Palestinian prisoners from Israeli prisons. Initially, Israel rejected these conditions before yielding to the resistance under the pressure exerted by the families of the Israeli hostages at the hands of the resistance.
According to specialized Palestinian institutions concerned with prisoners’ affairs, Israel is currently holding around 4,900 prisoners, including 700 sick prisoners, 200 women and children, in addition to over a thousand administrative detainees.
Furthermore, Israel continues to detain the bodies of 12 prisoners who died inside prisons over the past decades.
Abuse of Palestinian Prisoners in Occupation Prisons
Accusing Israel of Acting Like a ‘Gang’: Qadura Fares, the head of the Palestinian Prisoners Affairs Commission affiliated with the Palestine Liberation Organization, accuses Israel of behaving like a ‘gang’ due to its ‘oppressive and retaliatory’ practices against prisoners in Israeli prisons.
Fares, in an interview with the Turkish Anadolu Agency, stated that ‘retaliation has been and remains the dominant approach in Israeli prisons.’
He added, ‘It has become clear that the occupation’s measures in prisons have nothing to do with the state of war or security; it is solely revenge, which has been and remains the prevailing attitude.’
The Palestinian official pointed out that since October 7th of last year, Israel has been adopting a policy of starving prisoners, confiscating belongings, blankets, and pillows.
Fares emphasized that the most dangerous aspect is the physical assault on prisoners, where they are subjected to beatings with batons by about 10 guards all over their bodies, regardless of their health or age.
He stated, ‘The guards have a green light to torment the prisoners, and if one of them is killed, no guard will face accountability, investigation, or prosecution.
