A group of released Palestinian prisoners and detainees freed by Israel arrived safely in Ramallah and other locations in the West Bank by bus on Monday afternoon.
The prisoners were freed as part of a prisoner-hostage swap deal under the recently reached ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas. This agreement stipulates the return of the last 20 surviving hostages from Gaza to Israel and the release of about 2,000 Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails.
The released prisoners expressed their excitement over their freedom and recalled their suffering in prison.
"We have finally regained our lives. We have walked out of the prison, a grave for the living, free from the shackles of confinement, able to reunite with our family, friends, and children. Thank you, everyone," said Zaid Al-Jundi, a released prisoner.
"At this moment, everything we are experiencing makes us completely forget all the suffering endured in prison. The conditions in prison were extremely harsh. We were tormented by pain day after day. We lived in fear every day; it was not just hunger but a fear that penetrated to the bone. The experiences in prison were beyond words to describe," said Raed Kanaan, another released prisoner.
Qadura Fares, head of the Commission for Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs, expressed mixed emotions about the detainee release, honoring sacrifices, and urging continued resistance against Israeli occupation.
"Welcoming the released detainees back fills us with mixed emotions. We remember those who have sacrificed in this brutal, genocidal war and also think of those still suffering in Israeli prisons. We hope that this historical moment for the Palestinian people will serve as a lesson to continue the struggle until the Israeli occupation is completely ended," said Fares.
Hamas and Israel on Oct 9 reached a ceasefire deal in the Gaza Strip, which came into effect later on Oct 10 following more than two years of Israeli offensive that devastated the Gaza Strip and caused famine.
A signing ceremony of the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas was held in Egypt on Monday. The ceremony took place during a summit co-chaired by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and his U.S. counterpart, Donald Trump, which gathered leaders from more than 20 countries as well as regional and international organizations.
Palestinian prisoners freed by Israel return to West Bank
Palestinian prisoners freed by Israel return to West Bank
Palestinian prisoners freed by Israel return to West Bank
