In 1st phase of deal with Hamas, Israel to release 2,000 Palestinians
In the first phase of the deal signed on Jan. 16 in Doha between Israel and Hamas, Hamas is expected to release 33 Israeli hostages in exchange for 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, The Jerusalem Post writes.
According to the publication, the first phase of the deal will last 42 days, and the implementation of the deal will begin two to three days after the signing. First, 33 hostages, including women and children, will be released, followed by female soldiers and then men over the age of 50 and young people referred to as “humanitarian cases.”
In return, Israel will release 2,000 convicted Palestinians held in its prisons, including nearly 1,000 individuals detained following the events of Oct. 7, 2023. Among the approved Palestinian prisoners for exchange, about 250 are serving life sentences. However, the report notes that no militants directly involved in the Oct. 7 attack on Israel will be released as part of the deal.