Gaza, MINA – Israel will release 369 Palestinian prisoners on Saturday as part of the sixth wave of the first phase of the ongoing prisoner swap deal between Hamas and Israel, according to Palestinian sources, Anadolu Agency reported.
In a statement, the Palestinian Prisoners’ Media Office, affiliated with the Hamas movement, said that the group of those released will include 36 prisoners serving life sentences and 333 prisoners from Gaza who were arrested after October 7, 2023.
In return, the Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of the Palestinian Hamas movement, announced earlier Friday the names of three Israeli prisoners who are scheduled to be released on Saturday as part of the exchange deal.
On Thursday, Hamas reaffirmed its commitment to implementing the agreement as signed, including the exchange of prisoners according to the agreed schedule.
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Hamas indicated that mediators from Egypt and Qatar have been working to resolve obstacles caused by Israel’s violations of the agreement, describing the negotiations as “positive.”
The mediation efforts follow Hamas’ decision on Monday to suspend the release of Israeli prisoners until Tel Aviv stops its violations and retroactively complies with the humanitarian protocols of the agreement.
A ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement has been in place in Gaza since January 19, halting an Israeli war that has killed more than 48,200 people, mostly women and children, and left the Palestinian enclave in ruins. []
Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)
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