Israel to release 734 Palestinian prisoners in first phase of ceasefire deal

A Palestinian woman embraces her freed son upon his arrival among some 90 prisoners set free by Israel in the early hours of January 20, 2025, in the occupied West Bank town of Beitunia, on the outskirts of Ramallah. Crowds cheered, chanted and honked car horns as two buses carrying the prisoners arrived in Beitunia following their release as part of the Gaza ceasefire deal that began on January 19 and saw three Israeli hostages freed by Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Photo: AFP
More than 230 Palestinian prisoners, sentenced to life imprisonment for attacks that killed Israelis, are to be exiled following their release as part of a prisoner swap under the Gaza ceasefire agreement.

Israel has published a list of 734 prisoners, out of a total of 737 it said would be released during the first phase of the ceasefire deal which commenced on Sunday.

According to the list, more than 230 prisoners, all serving life sentences for conducting or participating in deadly attacks against Israelis, are to be permanently exiled.

More than 1,000 other Palestinians taken into Israeli custody since Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack that triggered the war are also due to be released during the initial 42-day truce.

The agreement was negotiated with the mediation of Qatar, Egypt and the United States, aiming to end more than 15 months of war in the Gaza Strip between Israel and Palestinian group Hamas.

Two Hamas sources involved in the negotiations stated that Israel agreed to release 296 Palestinians sentenced to life imprisonment during the first phase of the agreement, 236 of whom are to be deported immediately after their release, mainly to Qatar or Turkey.

The first phase of the agreement involves the release of a total of about 1,900 Palestinians in exchange for 33 Israeli hostages held in Gaza.

The truce is expected to allow for a surge in humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip and lay the groundwork for a permanent ceasefire and the release of all remaining Israeli and foreign hostages, totalling 91, still held in Gaza.

The Israeli military says that 34 of the remaining hostages in Gaza are confirmed dead.

Three hostages, all women, were released earlier on Sunday as part of the deal.