Israel has released 39 Palestinian prisoners in line with a Qatar-mediated deal that saw 13 Israeli captives freed by Hamas hours earlier.
Qadura Fares, who heads the Palestinian Prisoners’ Club NGO, said 33 prisoners freed in the West Bank were handed to a team from the International Committee of the Red Cross. He said the remaining six were released in Jerusalem.
The releases on both sides were part of a deal for a four-day truce in the Israel-Hamas war that began Friday.
Over the next four days, 150 Palestinian prisoners and 50 Israeli captives are to be freed.
Marah Bakeer, who was arrested in 2015 when she was 16 years old, was among those released in Jerusalem.
She told Al Jazeera many of the released prisoners require medical attention.
“All of the prisoners suffered a high level of medical neglect [while detained],” she said.
She said she is looking forward to spending time with her family and is considering enrolling in a university to pursue a degree in law.
People gather on a hill overlooking the Israeli Ofer military facility in the occupied West Bank as they wait for the release of Palestinian prisoners in exchange for Israeli captives freed by Hamas in Gaza on Friday. [AFP]
Palestinian prisoners [wearing grey jumpers] that were released from the Israeli Ofer military facility in exchange for captives freed by Hamas in Gaza, wave flags and chant slogans as they are paraded in Baytunia in the occupied West Bank. [/AFP]
The family of released Palestinian prisoner Fatima Amarneh waits at home while watching television, after the captives-prisoners swap deal between Hamas and Israel, near Jenin in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.[Reuters]
Marah Bakeer, right, a former Palestinian prisoner who was released by the Israeli authorities, is welcomed at her family house in the occupied East Jerusalem neighbourhood of Beit Hanina. [AP Photo]
People gather as released Palestinian prisoners leave the Israeli military prison, Ofer, near Ramallah in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. [Reuters]
Released Palestinian prisoners wave flags atop a car as they leave the Israeli military prison, Ofer. [Ammar Awad/Reuters]
A young Palestinian reacts after being released from the Israeli military prison Ofer. [Reuters]
Fireworks streak across the sky as Palestinian prisoners that were released from the Israeli Ofer military facility in exchange for captives freed by Hamas in Gaza, are paraded in the occupied West Bank. [AFP]
