RAMALLAH, West Bank — The release of four female Israeli soldiers from Hamas detention occurred on Saturday, but it came at a significant price for Israel. As part of a ceasefire arrangement, Israel agreed to liberate 200 Palestinian prisoners, among them 120 individuals who were serving life sentences. The ages of these detainees varied from 16 to 67 years old, reflecting a diverse array of backgrounds.
The prisoners were welcomed back to a jubilant atmosphere in the West Bank. However, those deemed to have committed more severe offenses were sent to Egypt instead. In the West Bank’s Ramallah, dozens of the freed prisoners, appearing weak in worn Israeli prison uniforms, emerged from a Red Cross bus. They were quickly enveloped by a cheering crowd, marking a stark contrast to the somber feelings of many Israelis who mourned loved ones killed by some of those recently released.
Moshe Har Melech, who lost his son to a Palestinian shooting attack in 2003, expressed his disgust at seeing freed prisoners celebrated as “superheroes.” He cautioned that even being exiled would not hinder their capabilities. “They’ll continue remotely recruiting and establishing terrorist cells,” he warned, emphasizing that these individuals would likely be more seasoned in their methods.
Eager Palestinian youth, some of whom had shared prison cells with the newly freed, joyfully documented the celebrations on social media. Medics conducted health checks on the released prisoners, who reported experiencing harsh living conditions and severe mistreatment during their incarceration. The emotional reunions unfolded as mothers wept with their sons, embracing after years apart. Azmi Nafaa, who had been imprisoned for attempting to run his car into Israeli soldiers, described the overwhelming joy of reuniting with his family after nine years behind bars, as he remarked, “It’s an indescribable feeling.”
In a tender moment, Nafaa’s mother, Hadiya Hamdan, planned to prepare a special dish to celebrate their reunion, highlighting the close bond they shared.
In contrast, the 70 prisoners sent into exile did not receive any festive reception. Their departure was quiet as they crossed from Gaza into Egypt, emphasizing the different realities faced by those involved in the recent exchanges. The triumph of the returning prisoners in Ramallah served to bolster support for Hamas, with many young Palestinians waving the group’s green flags and calling for more captures of Israelis to secure the freedom of additional prisoners.
Among the notable prisoners released on Saturday was Mohammed Aradeh, 42, known for his activism with Palestinian Islamic Jihad. He was given a life sentence stemming from incidents dating back to the second intifada, including serious offenses such as murder attempts. Notably, he was involved in a daring prison escape in 2021 that captured significant media attention.
Aradeh is part of a family deeply entrenched in political dissent, with multiple relatives having served lengthy sentences in Israeli facilities. On his return, he was treated like a local hero, evoking admiration and respect from family and friends who chanted slogans in honor of his audacious escape.
Alongside him were Mohammed Odeh, 52, Wael Qassim, 54, and Wissam Abbasi, 48, all from the Silwan neighborhood of East Jerusalem. Their histories are marked by numerous life sentences tied to orchestrating lethal attacks during the second intifada, including suicide bombings targeting civilians.
The Abu Hamid brothers—Nasser, 51, Mohammad, 44, and Sharif, 48—were among those deported together, having also received life sentences for their involvement in deadly militant activities. Their family has been prominent in Palestinian militancy, with a history of imprisonment and conflict with Israeli forces exacerbated by the death of one brother in custody.
Finally, Mohammad al-Tous, aged 67, was released after being recognized as having the longest continuous imprisonment in Israeli history. Originally arrested in 1985, his a long-standing commitment to the Fatah party and support of Palestinian rights extended over nearly 40 years of incarceration before he was also included in this large-scale prisoner exchange initiative.
