Israel is set to release approximately 300 Palestinian prisoners as part of a deal with Hamas to secure the release of hostages in Gaza. The prisoners will be released in two phases, with the youngest being a 14-year-old boy from east Jerusalem named Adam Abuda Hassan Gheit. Gheit was arrested in May for attacking a police officer and throwing stones, making him the youngest Palestinian prisoner to be released by Israel.
The oldest prisoner to be released is a 59-year-old woman named Hanan Salah Abdallah Barghuti. She was arrested in September for her alleged involvement in Hamas activities, including financial support. The list also includes 38-year-old Israa Jaabis, who was convicted in 2015 for detonating a gas cylinder at a checkpoint and sentenced to 11 years in prison.
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The hostage deal between Israel and Hamas will see the release of 50 Israeli hostages over four days in exchange for the freedom of 150 security detainees. The ratio of 3:1 may be upheld for future releases. The list of prisoners includes 33 women, 123 boys under 18, and 144 men aged 18. Of these prisoners, 49 are affiliated with Hamas, 60 with Fatah, and 17 with the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP). The remaining prisoners have no declared affiliations.
Most of the prisoners on the list are from the West Bank and Jerusalem and were held for crimes such as making explosives, damaging property, attempted stabbings, hurling stones at Israeli soldiers, and having connections with hostile organizations. As of Wednesday, Israel currently holds around 7,200 prisoners, including 88 women and 250 children aged 17 and under, according to the Palestinian Prisoners Society.
Hamas claims to hold 210 out of the 240 hostages abducted from Israel, including 40 children. The remaining 30 hostages are believed to be held by the Palestinian terror group Islamic Jihad. This prisoner release is seen as a step towards easing tensions and fostering peace between Israel and Palestine.
