On Monday, thousands of Palestinians assembled in Ramallah, eagerly anticipating the liberation of nearly 2,000 political detainees and individuals who had been forcibly disappeared by Israeli authorities from the occupied West Bank and Gaza, where conflict has persisted for over two years.
The community celebrated the return of 96 political prisoners alongside the majority of those held from Gaza during the ongoing war.
This release is part of a broader prisoner exchange involving 20 living and 28 deceased Israeli captives held in Gaza, traded for close to 2,000 Palestinians in Israeli custody.
Since Hamas captured over 200 Israelis on October 7, 2023, 114 have been freed through two separate exchanges in November 2023 and January 2025, with 1,240 Palestinians released in return.
However, despite moments of relief, Israel has breached ceasefire agreements linked to these swaps by conducting widespread arrests across Gaza and the occupied territories, often detaining Palestinians without formal charges.
Details on the Palestinians Being Freed
Approximately 250 Palestinian political prisoners serving lengthy or life sentences are set to be released from Israeli prisons. Data from Al Jazeera reveals that all but nine are from the West Bank, with 157 affiliated with Fatah, the dominant party within the Palestinian Authority.
Sixty-five prisoners belong to Hamas, while the remainder represent smaller political groups.
Additionally, Israel will free 1,718 Palestinians who, according to United Nations reports, were forcibly disappeared during the past two years of intense conflict in Gaza. Among them are five minors and two women, as per the prisoner list obtained by Al Jazeera.
Many of those disappeared were detained in military facilities notorious for harsh treatment, including torture and dehumanization, as documented by international and local human rights organizations. Reports indicate detainees endured severe beatings, medical neglect, starvation, and sexual violence.
The Palestinian Prisoner’s Society reports that since October 7, 77 prisoners have died while in Israeli custody.
Palestinians Remaining in Detention
The number of Palestinians still held by Israel remains substantial. Addameer, a Palestinian human rights group monitoring political prisoners, notes that detainees have surged from 5,200 to 11,100 since October 7, 2023.
The majority are from the occupied West Bank, including 400 children. Murad Jadallah, a researcher with Al-Haq, emphasized to Al Jazeera that Israel employs the detention of children as a tactic to undermine Palestinian society.
Are Released Prisoners Truly Free?
Unfortunately, freedom is often short-lived. Tahani Mustafa, an Israel-Palestine expert with the European Council on Foreign Relations, explained that Israel frequently re-arrests Palestinians soon after their release in prisoner exchanges.
For instance, following the November 2023 swap that freed 240 Palestinians, 30 were re-detained within weeks.
Mustafa highlighted Israel’s longstanding practice of using imprisonment as a political instrument, sometimes reserving detainees for future negotiations. She cautioned that there is no assurance those freed in the current deal won’t face re-arrest.
Will All Released Palestinians Return Home Immediately?
Most have already been freed, but not all will return directly to their homes. While 96 high-profile political prisoners are being released to the West Bank and Gaza, around 154 are being deported to undisclosed third countries.
WAFA reports that these individuals have been transferred to Egypt, though this may not be their final destination.
Israel may withhold the release of some prisoners until it recovers the bodies of 28 deceased Israeli captives, expected within 72 hours. Hamas has indicated challenges in locating all the deceased but is actively searching.
In Gaza’s Khan Younis, thousands gathered to welcome back Palestinians, predominantly civilians and medical personnel, who had been forcibly disappeared by Israel.
Joy Tempered by Restrictions
While many families rejoice, they face strict prohibitions against public celebrations or displaying Palestinian flags in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem.
Families of those exiled are also likely barred from traveling abroad to reunite with their loved ones.
Jadallah from Al-Haq noted that Palestinians hope this prisoner exchange signals a lasting end to Israel’s devastating campaign in Gaza. However, disappointment lingers over the exclusion of prominent figures like Marwan Barghouti and Ahmed Saadat, key leaders within Fatah and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, respectively.
Notably absent from the release list is Dr. Hussam Abu Safia, a respected Palestinian physician abducted from Kamel Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza in December 2024. Human rights groups report he has endured severe torture and solitary confinement.
