By: Chioma Madonna Ndukwu
Israel has released a group of Palestinian prisoners, some of whom had been detained after the October 7th Hamas attack. Many were held without charges due to security concerns.
The prisoners were welcomed by crowds in Gaza and the occupied West Bank, where some arrived by bus in Khan Younes and Beitunia.
Dozens of others, including those serving life sentences for attacks on Israelis, were exiled. The release, initially delayed over the weekend, was postponed due to Israel’s objections to Hamas’ “humiliating” hostage handover ceremonies.
These ceremonies, which involve captives being paraded before crowds, have been condemned by Israel and criticized as cruel by the Red Cross.
In a separate development, Hamas privately returned the bodies of four deceased Israeli captives. The second phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement is expected to start in early March, with hopes of a complete release of hostages and a permanent end to the conflict.
