Israel launched 39 Palestinians, together with girls and kids from jails as a part of the hostage alternate cope with Hamas, Qatar mentioned Friday.
“We confirm the release of 39 women and children held in Israeli prisons in implementation of obligations of the first day of the agreement,” mentioned Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman Majid al-Ansari on the X platform.
The deal, introduced by Qatar on Wednesday, entails a short lived pause in combating between each side to let desperately wanted help stream into the densely populated Gaza Strip in alternate for the discharge of some hostages Hamas kidnapped on Oct. 7.
“There is no real joy, even this little joy we feel as we wait,” mentioned Sawsan Bkeer, the mom of 24-year-old Palestinian prisoner Marah Bkeer, jailed for eight years on knife and assault costs in 2015. Israeli police had been seen raiding her Jerusalem residence earlier than her daughter was launched.
“We are still afraid to feel happy and at the same time, we do not have it in us to be happy due to what is happening in Gaza,” she mentioned.
More than 100 extra Palestinian prisoners are as a consequence of be launched over the approaching 4 days and extra could also be freed if the truce is prolonged.
In Beitunia, a metropolis close to Ramallah within the occupied West Bank, a big crowd, largely of younger males, greeted freed prisoners by cheering, honking automotive horns and marching on the street carrying Palestinian flags.
“I can’t express how I feel. Thank God,” mentioned 17-year-old Laith Othman, who was detained earlier this 12 months on suspicion of throwing an incendiary system and launched on Friday. “The situation inside (prison) is very difficult,” he mentioned as he was carried alongside the road on somebody’s shoulders.
Over 14,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s relentless bombardment of Gaza and the bottom operation launched final month and the army says it’s getting ready for the subsequent stage of the operation as soon as the non permanent truce ends.
Ismail Shaheen, talking from the Dheisheh refugee camp in Bethlehem, mentioned he was ready to see his daughter Fatima, who was arrested earlier this 12 months, accused of an tried stabbing.
The 32-year-old laptop scientist, who has a 5-year-old daughter, was shot throughout her arrest. Shaheen mentioned he was shocked to see his daughter in a wheelchair when he was first allowed to go to her in jail, months after she was detained.
“Thank God she was released in this exchange deal,” he mentioned. “We were happy that she was going to be released but only slightly so, because we cannot ignore the dire conditions of our brothers in Gaza, where thousands have been killed.”
Source: www.dailysabah.com