Freed Palestinian prisoners arrive in Gaza to emotional scenes as ceasefire endures

The Israeli government has revealed that the release of Palestinian prisoners has begun, marking the reciprocal phase of the ceasefire and hostage-prisoner exchange deal following the return of all 20 remaining living Israeli hostages.

Hamas has confirmed that the first of the buses carrying freed Palestinian prisoners has reached Gaza.

As part of the U.S.-brokered agreement to end the two-year conflict, Israel is releasing approximately 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees. This total includes roughly 250 security prisoners who were serving long sentences, some of them life terms for convictions related to attacks on Israelis, as well as over 1,700 Gazans who were detained during the war without formal charges.

Of the total, the 1,700+ Gazan detainees are reportedly being released at Gaza’s Nasser Hospital. The 250 convicted prisoners are being returned to the West Bank, East Jerusalem, or, in many cases, are set for deportation abroad or to Gaza.