© AP
Israel has begun freeing Palestinian detainees following the return of the last group of living Israeli hostages from Gaza, according to televised reports on Monday.
Footage showed buses departing Ofer Prison—located in the West Bank near Jerusalem—carrying some of the released individuals, en route to Ramallah.
The releases are part of a truce deal brokered with Hamas, under which Israel has agreed to release approximately 1,700 Palestinians detained since the October 7, 2023, attack, as well as around 250 prisoners, including some serving life terms.
Moments before the buses left, Israeli security forces reportedly deployed tear gas to disperse crowds gathered outside the prison, including journalists and family members, according to the broadcast.
In the days leading up to the release, the Israeli military had issued warnings to families of the freed detainees, stressing that public celebrations or gatherings would not be tolerated.
Earlier the same day, Hamas handed over the final 20 living Israeli hostages to the International Committee of the Red Cross. The group had spent 738 days in captivity before being returned to Israeli authorities.
These 20 individuals were part of the 251 people abducted during the Hamas-led attacks on October 7, 2023—an assault that claimed the lives of approximately 1,200 people in Israel and set off the ongoing war in Gaza.
(DPA)
