737 prisoners to be freed by Israel under Gaza ceasefire, hostage deal

Israel’s Justice Ministry announced on Saturday that 737 prisoners and detainees will be released as part of the initial phase of the Gaza ceasefire and hostage exchange agreement approved earlier in the day.

The government stated on its website, “The government approves the release of 737 prisoners and detainees” under the custody of the Israeli prison service.

The list includes men, women, and children, who will not be released before Sunday at 4:00 pm local time (1400 GMT). Among them are high-profile detainees, including Zakaria Zubeidi, a leader in the armed wing of Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas’s Fatah party.

Zubeidi, celebrated as a hero among Palestinians, escaped from Israel’s Gilboa prison in 2021 with five others, sparking a massive manhunt.

Also set to be freed is Khalida Jarar, a prominent leftist lawmaker and member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, a group designated as a terrorist organization by Israel, the United States, and the European Union. Jarar, 60, has been detained without charge since December 2024.

The Justice Ministry previously published a list of 95 Palestinian prisoners, mostly women, to be exchanged for Israeli hostages held by Hamas.

Hamas sources told AFP that the first group of hostages includes three Israeli women soldiers. However, Hamas often refers to any Israeli of military age as a soldier, including civilians abducted in the attack that triggered the conflict.

The release of prisoners and hostages marks the first phase of the ceasefire agreement, signaling a potential reduction in hostilities after weeks of devastating conflict.