Among those slated for freedom are prominent figures who have spent decades in Israeli jails under harsh conditions.
Prominent prisoners: Decades behind bars
Nael Barghouthi, the world's longest-serving Palestinian prisoner, has spent 45 years in Israeli jails. First arrested in 1978, he was sentenced to life plus 18 years for involvement in military operations. He was freed in the 2011 Wafaa al-Ahrar exchange, which saw 1,027 Palestinian prisoners released in return for Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit. Barghouthi was rearrested in 2014 for allegedly violating parole conditions.
Abd al-Nasser Issa, a Hamas leader, has spent 30 years in prison. He was trained in 1994 by Yahya Ayyash, a key figure in Hamas's military wing, before joining the Qassam Brigades. Arrested in 1995, he was sentenced to two life terms plus 20 years for alleged involvement in operations that killed 12 Israeli settlers and injured dozens. He was excluded from the 2011 Shalit prisoner swap.
Ammar al-Zaben, a Qassam Brigades commander, spent 26 years in prison. He was arrested in 1998 while returning from Jordan and sentenced to 27 life terms for allegedly orchestrating attacks in Jerusalem that resulted in deaths and injuries. In 2012, he became the first Palestinian prisoner to successfully smuggle sperm out of prison, allowing his wife to conceive through IVF. His son, Muhannad, was later born.
Osman Bilal, a Hamas military commander in Nablus, spent 30 years in prison. He was a key figure in the Qassam Brigades and the right-hand man of fellow prisoner Abd al-Nasser Issa. He was involved in planning two significant operations in coordination with key Hamas figures Yahya Ayyash and Mohieddin al-Sharif. The first was carried out on 24 July 1995, but he was arrested before executing the second. He was sentenced to 27 life terms.
Dirar Abu Sisi, a Palestinian engineer, was held for 14 years in prison. He was abducted by Mossad agents in Ukraine in 2011 and secretly transferred to Israel. Authorities accused him of developing Hamas' rocket program, citing his studies in missile technology under a specialist in Scud missiles. He was sentenced to 21 years in prison in 2015.
Israel delays prisoners' release.
The prisoner release, set to take place Saturday afternoon, was delayed for hours by Israeli authorities and has yet to take place. The Palestinian Authority said the process had been stalled "until further notice." Waiting in near-freezing temperatures, families in the West Bank dispersed as the delay dragged on.
It follows Hamas's handover of six Israeli captives, including Hisham al-Sayed, a Palestinian citizen of Israel. Israel's prime minister's office justified the delay by accusing Hamas of "cynical propaganda" during the handovers. At the same time, Hamas dismissed Israel's claims, saying the handovers reflected the group's "noble humane treatment" of captives.
Hamas called on mediators to ensure Israel abides by the ceasefire terms, warning that Israel is seeking to "evade its obligations" under the deal.
Of the 620 detainees set for release on Saturday, 108 face deportation outside Palestinian territories. The Palestinian Prisoners' Club said the group includes 50 serving life sentences and 47 who had been rearrested after previous exchanges.
So far, Israel has freed 1,142 Palestinian prisoners under the ceasefire deal, which requires the release of 1,900 detainees in exchange for Israeli captives. With one week left in the first phase, talks on an extension have yet to begin.
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