Israel released more than 1,900 Palestinian prisoners on Monday as part of its peace deal with Hamas. In return, the terrorist group freed the last 20 living Israeli hostages from Gaza.
Droves of Palestinian prisoners boarded buses on their way to the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Large crowds gathered to celebrate their return.
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Among the prisoners are 250 convicted terrorists who were released from Ofer Prison in the West Bank. These include members of Hamas, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Fatah, and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine terrorist groups. They were serving life sentences.
An estimated 1,700 Gazans who were arrested during the two-year war were also released and transported to the Palestinian enclave from Ketziot Prison in southern Israel. They were held in Israel without formal charges.
Of the total released, 154 Palestinian security prisoners arrived in Egypt at the Rafah border crossing in Gaza so that they could be sent to third countries. The Palestinian Prisoners’ Media Office said their deportations amount to forced exile.
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The prisoners’ release was coordinated with the understanding that Hamas would release all remaining hostages, both dead and alive. Hamas is expected to return at least four of the 28 bodies on Monday. The terrorist group reportedly doesn’t know where some of the bodies are located.
Israel is concerned that Hamas may be intentionally delaying handing over the bodies of the dead hostages. If so, that would be considered a violation of the newly brokered ceasefire.
“Hamas’s announcement about the expected return of 4 bodies today is a failure to meet commitments,” Defense Minister Israel Katz said in a translated post on X. “Any delay or deliberate avoidance will be considered a gross violation of the agreement and will be responded to accordingly.”
If Hamas fails to uphold its end of the agreement, the Hostage and Missing Families Forum calls on the Israeli government and mediating countries to hit Hamas with a “very severe response” and pause the peace deal until all bodies are returned.
“An agreement must be respected by both sides, if Hamas does not fulfill their part, Israel should not fulfill its part either,” the forum said in a statement. “We demand all 28 hostages. We will not give up on anyone, down to the last hostage.”
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On Monday, President Donald Trump met with the families of the hostages in Israel and addressed the nation’s legislature to mark what he hopes will be the end of the war. During his speech before the Knesset, the president reiterated his love for Israel and vowed to always stand by the Jewish state as he helps bring peace to the Middle East.
Trump then headed to Egypt, where he is co-leading a peace summit on the Gaza war that more than 20 world leaders will attend. The peace deal is expected to be finalized at the summit.