Israel to Release 734 Palestinian Prisoners as First Phase of Ceasefire Deal Begins

As part of the Gaza ceasefire agreement, Israel will release 734 Palestinian prisoners in the first phase of the deal, which began on Sunday. The list of prisoners includes more than 230 individuals sentenced to life imprisonment for their involvement in deadly attacks that killed Israelis. These prisoners will be permanently exiled following their release.

Israel published a detailed list of 734 prisoners who are set to be freed, out of a total of 737 that will be released during the initial stage of the ceasefire deal. The release also includes over 1,000 other Palestinians detained since Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack, which triggered the ongoing conflict. The ceasefire, which will last 42 days, was brokered through negotiations involving Qatar, Egypt, and the United States. The goal is to end the 15-month-long war between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas.

According to two Hamas sources involved in the discussions, Israel agreed to release 296 Palestinians who were sentenced to life imprisonment, with 236 of them set to be immediately deported to countries like Qatar or Turkey after their release.

This first phase also includes the release of about 1,900 Palestinians in exchange for 33 Israeli hostages held by Hamas. The ceasefire is expected to facilitate increased humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip and set the stage for a permanent peace agreement and the eventual release of all remaining hostages. However, the Israeli military has confirmed that 34 of the remaining hostages in Gaza have already been declared dead.

Earlier on Sunday, three female hostages were released as part of the ongoing ceasefire deal.