JERUSALEM: Israel has begun transferring prisoners to two jails ahead of their release as part of the Gaza ceasefire deal, designed to lead to the release of hostages held by Hamas, the prison service said Saturday.
Thousands of staff, including prison officers, “operated throughout the night in order to implement the government’s decision: ‘The framework for the release of all Israeli hostages’,” a statement said.
Under the truce deal Israel is supposed to release 250 prisoners, including some serving life sentences for deadly attacks. In exchange, Hamas has until Monday to hand over its 48 remaining Israeli hostages -- living and dead.
Another 1,700 Palestinians -- detained by the Israeli military in its offensives in Gaza launched in the two years since the deadly October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks -- will also be released under the ceasefire arrangement.
The Israeli prison service said the 250 were being transferred to Ofer Prison in the occupied West Bank and to Ketziot in southern Israel’s Negev desert, near the border with Egypt.
They will remain in these jails until a decision from Israeli leaders to continue the operation in order to “enable the return of the hostages to Israel”.
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