Buses carrying Palestinians released from Israeli prisons under a Gaza ceasefire and captive- prisoner exchange deal with Palestinian factions, arrive outside the Nasser hospital in Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip on October 13, 2025. AFP
Families embraced loved ones they had not seen for years, some for decades, overwhelmed by the dual relief of the war’s end and the long-awaited return of relatives.
Israeli authorities released the second group of detainees from Ketziot Prison in the Negev on Monday evening, transferring them to Gaza as part of the deal.
According to WAFA, 38 buses and 10 ambulances transported the freed prisoners to the Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis, where they were met by relatives and crowds of well-wishers. Many underwent medical checks before returning home.
The Hamas Prisoners’ Media Office said the second batch included 154 prisoners serving long-term or life sentences who were transferred from Gaza to Egypt, along with 1,718 detainees arrested after the outbreak of the war on 7 October 2023.
The Israeli Prison Service said it had completed the release of 1,986 Palestinian prisoners under the agreement brokered by the US, Qatar, Egypt and Turkey.
Earlier in the day, Israel released the first group of 96 long-term prisoners from Ofer Prison, west of Ramallah.
In Ramallah, hundreds gathered at the Mahmoud Darwish Museum square, waving Palestinian flags and chanting as they awaited the arrivals. The Guardian captured scenes of emotional reunions as families hugged and lifted newly freed prisoners onto their shoulders in celebration.
Among them was Saber Masalma, a Fatah member arrested in 2002 and sentenced to life. His relatives said his health had deteriorated during 24 years in prison, leaving him almost unrecognizable.
“He looks like a dead body. But we will bring him back to life,” one family member said, laughing as they prepared to ease him back into daily life.
Samer al-Halabiya, a freed prisoner from Abu Dis who served 32 years, described the day as both joyous and bittersweet.
“The joy today is immense, especially when a prisoner reunites with his family. But there is always pain in the heart because we left behind our brothers still imprisoned,” he told WAFA.
He also accused Israeli authorities of “repeating historical atrocities” in their treatment of prisoners, citing “torture, deprivation, and abuse.”
Salem al-Eid, from Zeita in Tulkarm, who spent 21 years in Israeli jails, recalled conditions marked by isolation, poor nutrition, and lack of medical care.
“The entire prison journey is one of torment — lacking food, medicine, water, and the warmth of a loved one. There isn’t even a pillow to rest your head on,” he said.
Not all reunions were celebratory. Several families learned at the last moment that some prisoners were being deported from Gaza, making future visits nearly impossible. The news left relatives distraught, with some collapsing or wailing in the crowd.
Meanwhile, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) confirmed it had received 20 Israeli captives from Gaza in two batches and handed them to Israeli authorities as part of the ongoing exchange.
Palestinian prisoner advocacy groups say more than 11,000 Palestinians remain in Israeli custody under harsh conditions, including torture, medical neglect, and deprivation.
The current figures include 350 life-sentence prisoners, 40 awaiting similar rulings, 53 women, including three from Gaza and two minors, and about 400 child detainees held in Ofer and Megiddo prisons.
Another 3,380 Palestinians remain in administrative detention without charge or trial as of October 2025.
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