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| A Palestinian shows the 'Victory' sign after being released from an Israeli prison. Today in the Khan Younis area of Gaza | Photo: Reuters |
On Saturday, 200 Palestinian prisoners were released from Ofer Prison in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and Kaziyat Prison in the Negev Desert as part of a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas.
The released individuals, consisting of men and women of various ages, were freed following the earlier release of four female Israeli soldiers by Hamas.
A ceasefire in Gaza, mediated by Qatar, Egypt, and the United States, came into effect on Sunday, temporarily halting a 15-month-long war. In the second round of the agreement, the release of Palestinians and Israelis continued.
In the first phase, Hamas freed three hostages, and Israel released 90 Palestinian prisoners. The agreement stipulates that hostages and prisoners will be released in stages by both sides.
The conflict began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched an attack on Israeli territory, resulting in the deaths of approximately 1,200 people and the abduction of 251 hostages taken to Gaza.
On the same day, Israeli forces launched a counteroffensive in the Gaza Strip. The war, lasting over a year, has claimed the lives of more than 47,200 Palestinians, the majority of whom were civilians.