Number of Palestinian Prisoners Released Arrive in Egypt Ahead of Deportation Abroad

CAIRO – 25 January 2025: A number of Palestinian prisoners, who have been released on Saturday as per the ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel, has arrived in the Egyptian territories via Rafah border crossing in preparation for their entry into Egyptian territory to be exiled abroad, Al Qahera News reported

The news channel reported that a total of 70 Palestinian prisoners, who were serving life sentences in Israeli prisons, will be transferred to Egypt before being exiled abroad, in accordance with the ceasefire agreement in the prisoner swap between Hamas and Israel.

On Saturday, Hamas released four female Israeli captives (soldiers) for releasing 200 Palestinian prisoners, including the 70 inmates who just arrived at the Egyptian-Palestinian border crossing. 

According to reports, the majority of the released prisoners are serving life sentences and long sentences.

Palestinian media reported that Hamas received from Egyptian-Qatari-US mediators a list of the names of the prisoners (amended) who will be released as part of the second batch of prisoner swap, which includes prisoners from the "Jihad" movement, whose military wing, "Saraya al-Quds.”

The distribution of released prisoners serving life sentences in today’s batch will be as follows:

- 81 life sentences from Hamas

- 23 life sentences from Islamic Jihad

- 13 life sentences from Fatah

- 2 life sentences from the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine

- 1 life sentence from the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine

Reuters, citing the Israeli Prison Service: 200 Palestinian prisoners released from Israeli prisons as part of the prisoner swap deal

Hamas handed over the four Israeli female soldiers to the International Red Cross in a square in Gaza City, where hundreds of Palestinians gathered.

The four soldiers are Karina Arif, Danielle Gilboa, Naama Levy, and Liri Elbag, according to the list published by Hamas yesterday, Friday.

The female soldiers appeared in military uniform and in good health alongside Hamas members on a platform set up in the square.