On Thursday (January 30), 110 Palestinians were newly released from Israel’s Ofer Prison.
Earlier, the Palestinian armed groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad had freed a total of eight hostages, including three Israelis and five Thai nationals. Among them, seven were handed over to the Red Cross in Khan Younis, Gaza, by Palestinian fighters.
At that time, hundreds of people gathered at the scene, making it difficult for the groups to release the hostages. As a result, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu temporarily halted the release of Palestinian prisoners.
He urged the mediating countries to ensure that future hostage transfers do not take place in such crowded areas.
Netanyahu claimed that such gatherings put the hostages’ safety at risk.
According to source, Israel dropped leaflets in Gaza via drones, warning people against celebrating. However, despite Israeli threats, residents of Ramallah were seen celebrating.
Among the Palestinians released by Israel were individuals serving life sentences. However, Israel has decided not to allow them into the West Bank, instead sending them to Egypt or Gaza.