24 Jerusalemite prisoners released as part of the prisonersβ exchange deal.
24 Jerusalemite prisoners were released from Israeli captivity on Monday as part of the exchange deal, which includes more than 2,000 Palestinian prisoners from Gaza, the West Bank, and Jerusalem in return for the release of Israeli captives in Gaza. Most of those released had been serving life sentences, including prominent leaders who have spent decades behind bars.
The exchange, which follows the ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel announced last week under US, Turkish, Egyptian, and Qatari mediation, marks one of the largest prisoner releases in years.
According to the Government Media Office (GMO), the three stages of the βAl-Aqsa Floodβ prisoner exchange operation have so far secured the release of over 3,985 Palestinians, including 486 sentenced to life imprisonment, 319 serving lengthy terms, 144 women, 297 minors, and 2,724 detainees from Gaza who were arrested after October 7, 2023.
The latest release significantly reduced the number of prisoners serving life sentences in Israeli jails, from 608 to 121.
According to Hamas sources, the freed Jerusalemites include senior figures from the al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, who were among the longest-serving prisoners in Israeli jails. Many were convicted decades ago and had been labeled by the occupation as βdangerousβ due to their leadership roles in the resistance during the 1990s and early 2000s.
These releases were part of the wider implementation of the ceasefireβs first phase, which came into effect on Friday following the Israeli governmentβs approval earlier that morning. The deal, crafted under US president Donald Trumpβs peace plan, stipulates a phased withdrawal of the Israeli occupation forces (IOF), a mutual release of prisoners, and the immediate entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza.
While scenes of jubilation spread across Gaza Strip and parts of the West Bank, the Israeli occupation authorities issued sweeping restrictions in Jerusalem aimed at suppressing public celebrations. Families of the freed prisoners were notified that any form of gathering, rally, or public display of flags or banners would be strictly prohibited.
In an unprecedented move, the IOF ordered its intelligence vehicles to personally escort each freed prisoner to their home to prevent large gatherings. The decision drew condemnation from Palestinian human rights advocates, who described it as an attempt to βcriminalize joyβ and undermine the symbolic victory achieved through the exchange.
Despite these measures, Palestinians in Jerusalem and beyond viewed the release as a moral and psychological triumph, one that reaffirms the commitment of the resistance to securing freedom for prisoners despite the ongoing genocide in Gaza.
The three exchange agreements carried out during the βAl-Aqsa Floodβ have reshaped the Palestinian prisoner landscape. Analysts say the deals mark a historic shift in the dynamics of resistance negotiations, breaking a years-long Israeli refusal to engage in large-scale exchanges.
The prisoner swaps have also reignited calls for renewed international focus on the plight of over 5,000 Palestinians still held in Israeli jails, including hundreds under administrative detention without charge or trial.