Israel releases list of 735 Palestinian prisoners to be released in ceasefire agreement

Israel's Justice Ministry on Saturday released a list of 735 Palestinian prisoners to be released in the first phase of a ceasefire agreement with Hamas.

This initial phase, which began on Sunday, will last for 42 days, in which Israel will gradually release prisoners as well as 1,167 detained Gaza residents. In return, Hamas is expected to release 33 Israeli hostages currently held in Gaza.

Israel said many of the prisoners on the list were convicted of murder, such as Ahmed Barghouti, who was serving 13 life sentences for the murders of 12 Israelis, and Majdi Zaatari, who was sentenced to 23 life sentences for a 2003 Jerusalem suicide bombing. He was sentenced to 50 years in prison for helping to kill 23 people.

Also set to be released are senior Hamas member Salim Hazza, who was serving 16 life sentences for his role in a 2001 suicide bus attack in Haifa that killed 15 people, and Mohammed Mohammed, a senior militant from the Tanzim militant group. Naifa, who was convicted of murdering 13 Israelis and sentenced to 13 life terms.

The list also includes Zakaria Zubaidi, commander of Fatah's al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade in Jenin, in the West Bank, Xinhua news agency reported. Israeli citizens, especially victims' families, are being urged by the High Court to challenge the release of specific prisoners. It is allowed to file a petition in.

Earlier in the day, the Israeli government approved a ceasefire agreement aimed at the release of hostages in the Gaza Strip after a lengthy cabinet meeting, the Prime Minister's Office said.

At the meeting, 24 ministers voted in favor and eight against.

Three Israeli women and 95 Palestinian prisoners held in Gaza are to be released on Sunday under the first phase of the agreement. According to the report of Channel 12 News, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in the meeting that he has been assured by the newly elected US President Donald Trump that after he takes office, Israel will get the stopped arms supply.

“This is important because if we do not reach the second phase of the agreement, we will have additional equipment to return to the fight,” Netanyahu said. “Trump is giving Israel full support for returning to war if the agreement is violated.” A full cabinet meeting was held on Friday after Israel's banned security cabinet voted in favor of a Gaza ceasefire-hostage agreement. Two far-right ministers, Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, opposed the agreement and the government's commitment to resume fighting in Gaza after the completion of the first phase of the agreement, in which Hamas would release 33 Israeli hostages. demanded. Hamas said on Friday that the disputes had been resolved. A day earlier, the group had reiterated its commitment to the full terms of the agreement in a statement.