83 Palestinian Prisoners Released from Israeli Detention Under Gaza Ceasefire Agreement
Israeli authorities freed 83 Palestinians serving life sentences on Monday as part of the first phase of a historic prisoner exchange.
Israeli occupation forces on Monday released 83 Palestinian detainees serving life sentences from Ofer Prison, located west of Ramallah, marking a significant step in the implementation of the Gaza ceasefire agreement. The release is part of an exchange deal that also saw Hamas hand over 20 Israeli captives held in the Gaza Strip.
Prisoner Exchange Details
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) confirmed it received 20 Israeli hostages in two separate groups from Gaza and transferred them to Israeli authorities. Under the terms of the agreement, Israel is expected to release a total of 250 Palestinian prisoners serving long-term and life sentences, including 83 from Ofer Prison and 167 from Ketziot Prison in southern Israel. In addition to these prisoners, Israeli authorities will release 1,718 Palestinians who were arrested in Gaza after October 7, 2023.
Buses carrying freed Palestinian prisoners began moving from Ofer Prison to Beitunia in the occupied West Bank, while others traveled from the Negev Prison toward the Gaza Strip. Many of the prisoners sentenced to life will be deported to Egypt as part of the agreement.
Dire Conditions in Israeli Prisons
Palestinian institutions monitoring detainee affairs report that Israel currently holds more than 11,100 Palestinians in its prisons under severe conditions. Detainees face torture, starvation, and systematic medical neglect, which have resulted in several deaths in custody. This figure does not include Palestinians held in Israeli military camps.
The number of detainees from the Gaza Strip has risen to over 4,000 since the start of the war in October 2023. Among those imprisoned are 350 Palestinians sentenced to life imprisonment, 53 female prisoners (including three from Gaza and two girls), and approximately 400 children held in Ofer and Megiddo prisons. Around 3,380 Palestinians are being held under administrative detention, meaning they are detained without trial.
Ceasefire Agreement Background
The prisoner release follows President Donald Trump’s announcement on October 9 of an agreement to implement the first phase of his Middle East peace plan. The plan aims to end the war in Gaza, facilitate the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the territory, allow humanitarian aid into the region, and establish a framework for prisoner exchanges. The ceasefire went into effect earlier this month after months of negotiations mediated by the United States, Egypt, and Qatar.
However, Israeli authorities banned around 100 relatives of detainees scheduled for release from traveling abroad to receive their loved ones, who are set to be deported outside Palestine as part of the deal.
