Israel began releasing 110 Palestinian prisoners after delaying the process and after: Hamas freed three Israeli and five Thai prisoners in Gaza on Thursday.
From the Israeli side, buses arrived in the West Bank city of Ramallah carrying some of the 110 Palestinian prisoners to be freed as part of the phased agreement.
Women in traditional full Palestinian dresses ululated as buses carrying freed detainees arrived in Ramallah in the Israeli-occupied Palestinian territory, while men chanted “we sacrifice our souls and blood for you.”
Zakaria Zubaidi, one of the leaders of Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, the armed wing of the Fatah group, was the most prominent Palestinian prisoner to be freed.
He escaped from prison in 2021 with three other inmates but was then captured.
Palestinian health officials said at least 14 Palestinians were hurt by Israeli fire, some with live and rubber bullets, others from gas inhalation, as they gathered at the entrance to Ramallah to welcome the freed detainees.
Video footage showed Palestinians throwing stones towards police and then running away as police began firing. Some prisoners from East Jerusalem had arrived at their homes while others, who were due to be taken to Gaza or deported to Egypt, had yet to reach their destinations.
Earlier, in Jabalia in northern Gaza, an Israeli soldier, Agam Berger, wearing an olive green uniform, was led through a narrow alley between heavily damaged buildings and over piles of rubble before being handed to the Red Cross.
The families of Thai farm workers held for over a year in Gaza cheered and wept with relief as they were freed.
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