Israel transfers 154 freed Palestinian prisoners to Egypt under Gaza ceasefire deal

Israel has transferred 154 Palestinian prisoners to Egypt as part of the latest phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement, according to the Prisoners’ Media Office.

“The 154 Palestinian prisoners deported abroad were received and transferred to the Arab Republic of Egypt to complete their release procedures as part of the implementation of the Free Flood 3 deal,” Caliber.Az quotes the office as saying.

The released prisoners are among hundreds freed under the ongoing exchange arrangement linked to the truce in Gaza, which also included the release of 20 Israeli captives held by Palestinian groups.

Thousands of Palestinians gathered outside Nasser Hospital in southern Gaza to welcome those released under the agreement, which was brokered between Hamas and Israel. Emotional scenes unfolded as families waited for news of their relatives amid crowds that began forming early in the morning.

Medical teams stationed at the hospital were on standby to examine the released detainees, many of whom, according to officials, endured years of harsh and degrading treatment in Israeli prisons.

The ceasefire deal, which includes a large-scale prisoner swap, is expected to see around 1,700 Palestinians freed in total later today.

By Aghakazim Guliyev