As part of the fifth round of Phase I of the hostage release deal, under which hostages Ohad Ben Ami, Or Levy and Eli Sharabi will be freed, Israel is set to release 183 Palestinian prisoners on Saturday.
Among them are 18 serving life sentences, 54 prisoners who have completed long sentences and 111 detainees from Gaza arrested during the war.
Terrorists greeted in Ramallah upon their release from Israeli prison
(Video: Reuters)
Among the notable prisoners being released is Shadi Barghouti, sentenced to 27 years for his involvement in attacks against Israel. His father, Fakhri Barghouti, participated in the murder of Mordechai Yakuel, and his brother, Hadi Barghouti, was convicted of terrorist activities in 2004 and sentenced to three and a half years in prison.
Another prisoner set for release is Ali Haroub, a resident of Dura, who was serving a sentence for membership in a terrorist cell that planned attacks and for his role in producing explosives and Molotov cocktails.
In December 2013, Israeli security forces, with the help of the Israel Prison Service (IPS), foiled an attempt to establish a Hamas-led kidnapping cell in which Haroub was involved. The attempted attack, still in its early planning stages, was prevented.
Also being released is Jamal Tawil, a senior Hamas figure arrested in Ramallah in June 2021. At the time of his arrest, the IDF said that he was a key figure in rebuilding Hamas' infrastructure in the West Bank. Tawil was accused of organizing riots, inciting violence and re-establishing Hamas' headquarters in Ramallah.
Among those being freed is Eyad Abu Shahidam, who was behind the 2004 double suicide bombing in Be'er Sheva, which killed 16 Israelis and injured over 100. Abu Shahidam was convicted of preparing the explosives and planning the detonation of two bombs on buses near City Hall on Reger Street. He was also convicted of preparing an explosive vest for a terrorist intercepted in July 2004, en route to Café Kafeit in Jerusalem, where he intended to shoot the security guard before carrying out the attack.
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A few days before that incident, Israeli security forces arrested several Hamas operatives from Hebron and nearby villages, who admitted to facilitating the terrorist’s entry into Jerusalem. According to their statements, the terrorist aborted the attack and returned.
Another high-profile release is Hatem al-Jayousi, a founding member of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades, a terrorist organization still active in the West Bank and Gaza. He was serving six life sentences for his role in the murder of six Israelis during the Second Intifada.
Also set for release is Yosef al-Mabhouh, from Jabaliya, who was serving 15 years for launching rockets, planting explosives and engaging in tunnel-related activities. While imprisoned in the Hamas wing of Nafha Prison, he carried out a stabbing attack in December 2021, using an improvised sharp weapon to attack a prison guard, causing minor injuries. Footage from the incident shows al-Mabhouh sneaking up behind the guard and attacking him.
The IPS has finalized preparations for the release, following the receipt of the official prisoner list. Once internal procedures are completed, fighters from the Nachshon Unit, IPS’s primary escort division, will transport the prisoners to reception points at Ofer and Ketziot prisons.
Upon arrival, the prisoners will be identified by Red Cross representatives and held until the hostages arrive in Israel. Once state authorities approve the exchange, the prisoners will be transported by the Red Cross to release points in the West Bank, while Nachshon Unit officers will escort others to the Kerem Shalom crossing.
Before their release, the prisoners will be shown footage documenting the destruction in Gaza. The IDF’s Operations Division, in collaboration with the IPS, has produced a three-minute video showcasing the devastation caused by the war, which will be screened on television monitors inside the prisons during the release process.
Last week, the IPS also printed the message “The Eternal Nation Does Not Forget” on the identification bracelets of the prisoners, along with the IPS logo and Israeli flag. Many of the prisoners, particularly those serving life sentences, are believed to have little awareness of the current reality in Gaza.
So far, 583 prisoners have been released under the hostage deal. Despite these releases, Israel’s overall prison population has increased by 298 detainees. As of now, there are 23,741 prisoners in Israeli facilities—including 10,197 security prisoners and 13,544 criminal offenders.