Breaking Down the Numbers: New Insights on Palestinian Prisoner Release

Watan-Israeli media has revealed new details regarding the Palestinian prisoners to be released as part of the first phase of the ceasefire agreement between Israel and the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas).

Al Jazeera correspondent in Palestine, Najwan Samri, reported from the Israeli newspaper Haaretz that the first phase of the agreement—which spans 42 days—will see the release of 290 Palestinian prisoners serving life sentences out of a total of 563 prisoners.

Samri noted that the Palestinian Prisoners’ Club has higher figures for prisoners with long sentences, as Israeli authorities often exclude Palestinian prisoners from the territories occupied in 1948 from these numbers.

According to the newspaper, over 600 prisoners sentenced to more than 15 years will be released, in addition to 1,000 prisoners from Gaza who were detained after October 7, 2023.

Meanwhile, Israeli Channel 12 reported that the Israeli Prison Service has begun preparations for the release of Palestinian prisoners as part of the exchange deal, with expectations that they will be freed from Ofer Military Prison, west of Ramallah.

The same channel revealed that Israel will receive tomorrow, Saturday, a list of prisoners to be released the day after, Sunday, from the Gaza Strip.

According to Channel 14, some Palestinian prisoners serving life sentences will be released to Jerusalem and the West Bank.

Samri also reported that families of the Israeli prisoners held in Gaza fear that negotiations for the second phase may be obstructed by members of the Israeli Security Cabinet. They are calling for a comprehensive deal that includes all prisoners with clear timelines.

The Israeli government is expected to convene in the coming hours to decide on the prisoner exchange deal. Meanwhile, Israeli Army Radio mentioned that the Supreme Court is ready to rule on any appeals against the deal, even during the weekend.

The Israeli Walla website quoted a well-informed source stating that “Israel will receive a list of the captives (prisoners) slated for release one day before each phase.”

In this context, French President Emmanuel Macron revealed that two French citizens are among the 33 prisoners to be released in the first phase of the deal.

On the other hand, Hamas stated that the lists of Palestinian prisoners to be released in the first phase will be published through its Office of Prisoners as part of the exchange’s stages and procedures.

Hamas emphasized its efforts to achieve “a national exchange deal representing all factions and members of our people,” highlighting that obstacles—arising from the occupation’s failure to adhere to the terms of the ceasefire agreement—were resolved early Friday morning.

On Wednesday evening, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Qatar’s Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, announced that mediators had reached an agreement to halt hostilities in Gaza, noting that the implementation of its first phase would begin on Sunday.

According to the agreement, “Hamas will release 33 Israeli detainees in the first phase, including civilian women, female soldiers, children, elderly individuals, and those who are sick or injured, in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli prisons and detention centers.”

This agreement brings to mind the 2011 deal between Hamas and Israel for the release of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, in which 1,027 Palestinian prisoners were freed from Israeli prisons.

The 2011 deal was implemented in two stages: the first on October 18, 2011, releasing 477 prisoners, and the second on December 18 of the same year, releasing 550 prisoners.