Palestinians Celebrate Release from Israeli Prisons
Cheers echoed through the West Bank and East Jerusalem as 39 Palestinians, among them women and young men, returned home following their release from Israeli prisons. The festivities were captured on video by "The Times of Israel" and showed crowds chanting and waving Hamas' green flags.
Among the freed individuals were six women and 33 men under 19 years old. Their release became possible due to a four-day ceasefire agreement between Israel, the USA, Egypt, and Islamist Hamas, which also secured the release of 50 civilian hostages in exchange for the Palestinian prisoners.
Israeli forces intervened to prevent celebrations on Saturday evening near an Israeli prison, using tear gas and rubber bullets against the waiting crowd, injuring four persons. Israel's National Security Minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, ordered these restrictions, according to "The Times of Israel."
Background of the Prisoners
Most of the released Palestinians were Gazans not linked to the October 7, 2023, attack, but detained due to their ties to Hamas or other militant organizations. Many have served lengthy sentences, including life sentences for murder and terror attacks. Notable individuals include Zakaria Zubeidi, a former Jenin commander of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades, and Iyad Jradat and Ahmed Dahiri, who participated in the 2003 terror attack in Moshav Gadish.
Considerations and Reactions
Israeli authorities classify the liberated prisoners as "terrorists," emphasizing their connection to significant offenses related to the country's security. The Israeli Prison Service characterizes the released prisoners as "terrorists" with criminal records of serious crimes, including murder and terror attacks.
However, the Palestinian Prisoners Society stresses that the number of arrested Palestinians exceeds the number of released ones, given the current ceasefire. They argue that for each released Palestinian, another is detained. Furthermore, authorities imposed restrictions on released prisoners, including limits on their speech, movement, and social media activities, warning them against celebrating their release or political involvement to avoid re-arrest.
Public Opinion
A poll conducted by Israeli newspaper Maariv found that 65% of the Israeli public supported a ground invasion of the Gaza Strip in October 2023, expressing powerful opposition towards Hamas and its actions. However, this sentiment evolved as the hostage crisis dominated public attention, resulting in fewer supporters for an immediate large-scale ground offensive by November 2023.
The release of Palestinian prisoners, charged with or convicted of terror-related offenses, under the agreement between Israel and Hamas, has instigated diverse reactions and concerns on both sides. Israeli authorities label the prisoners as "terrorists" and impose restrictions on their activities after release, while Palestinian organizations draw attention to the disproportionate number of arrests compared to releases and human rights implications of such actions.
