Ninety Palestinian prisoners, including 69 women and 21 teenage boys, were freed from Israeli prisons in the first prisoner exchange under the Hamas-Israel ceasefire agreement.
The release, conducted in exchange for three Israeli captives returned from Gaza, marked a poignant moment for families and communities long separated by conflict.
The freed Palestinians arrived in Ramallah, in the occupied West Bank, at approximately 1 a.m. local time on Monday (23:00 GMT), escorted by Red Cross buses. Thousands of jubilant relatives, friends, and supporters defied Israeli warnings against public celebrations to welcome them home. Emotional scenes unfolded as many of the prisoners were hoisted onto shoulders, surrounded by cheers, chants, and the waving of flags representing Fatah, Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and other resistance groups.
Basil Farraj, a researcher from Birzeit University, attended the handover of Palestinian prisoners from Ofer Prison and witnessed the joyous reunions with family members. Speaking to Al Jazeera, Farraj described the condition of the released prisoners as alarming.
“We have seen prisoners coming out of the buses in bad health with pale conditions and looking very weak. I think that attests to the conditions the Israelis have long been holding Palestinians in,” Farraj said.
He added that Israeli authorities had banned any form of communication between prisoners and their families since before the war began. “For many, it was the first time they’ve seen their loved ones since the war started,” he said. Some families in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem were contacted by Israeli officials and warned against celebrating the return of their freed relatives.
Farraj highlighted the harsh realities faced by children detained in Israeli prisons. “The Israeli military courts do not treat children as children. They treat them as adults. One can imagine what it means to be incarcerated for more than 15 months in such harsh conditions as a child,” he said. However, the joy of their return was tempered by the visible scars of their imprisonment. In stark contrast to the images of the Israeli released captives, the Palestinian prisoners appeared frail and emaciated, bearing the marks of years of neglect and abuse.
Medical neglect was rampant, with many suffering from untreated illnesses exacerbated by prolonged periods of solitary confinement. Their weakened frames struggled to support their weight, their pale faces etched with exhaustion and the psychological trauma of prolonged imprisonment.
Among those released was Khalida Jarrar, a prominent Palestinian political figure who had endured six months of solitary confinement under Israeli administrative detention.
This exchange is the first phase of a multi-stage deal, with Hamas set to release a total of 33 Israeli captives over the next 42 days. The next release is scheduled for Saturday. The second phase of ceasefire negotiations is expected to begin in two weeks, potentially involving the release of thousands more Palestinians. Current estimates suggest between 1,000 and 2,000 Palestinian prisoners may be freed.
