Israel releases 600 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for hostages, dozens still held in Gaza

As part of the ongoing ceasefire agreement, Israel released around 600

Palestinian prisoners

overnight, including some of the longest-serving inmates and individuals convicted of deadly attacks. In exchange, Hamas handed over the remains of four

Israeli hostages

. This marked the final exchange planned under the first phase of the ceasefire, which is set to expire this weekend.
Israel was initially set to release the prisoners last weekend after Hamas freed six living hostages. However, the country delayed the release in protest of Hamas’ practice of parading captives before crowds during their handovers. After negotiations, the release finally took place, with prisoners being sent to the occupied West Bank, East Jerusalem, Gaza, and some into exile, the Associated Press reported.
Since the ceasefire began on January 19, Israel has freed nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees. Israel views the released prisoners as terrorists, while many Palestinians regard them as freedom fighters resisting Israeli military occupation.
Among the 600 prisoners released overnight, 151 were serving life or long-term sentences for involvement in deadly attacks against Israelis. Another 500 had been detained in Gaza after the

October 7 attack

, which led to the war.

The Palestinian prisoners club, an organization representing detainees, reported that Israel held back 24 Palestinians who were captured in Gaza following Hamas’ October 7, 2023 attack. Among them were 23 teenagers, aged 15 to 19, and a 35-year-old woman. They were expected to be released later on Thursday, alongside 22 additional minors and one more woman.
Several notable prisoners were released, including Nael Barghouti, the longest-serving political prisoner, and Bilal Abu Ghanem, convicted for a 2015 bus attack. Others freed included Ammar Al-Ziben, convicted for a 1997 bombing, as well as the Sarahneh brothers, Iyad Abu Shakhdam, and Jamal al-Tawil, all linked to deadly attacks. Zakaria Zubeidi, a former militant leader, and Mohammed el-Halabi, an aid worker accused of diverting funds, also gained international attention. Several Hamas operatives involved in bombings were deported to Egypt.
Hamas-led militants abducted 251 people during the October 7 attack, killing approximately 1,200, mostly civilians. In response, the conflict has resulted in over 48,000 Palestinian deaths in Gaza, primarily women and children, according to Gaza’s health ministry, which does not differentiate between civilians and combatants.
Meanwhile, Israeli troops have retrieved the bodies of 41 hostages, while only eight have been rescued alive. Among those still in captivity are 13 Israeli soldiers, of whom nine have been declared dead. Additionally, five non-Israelis remain in Gaza, including three Thais, one Nepalese, and one Tanzanian. Two of them, one Thai and one Nepalese, are believed to still be alive.