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Israel publishes list of 95 Palestinians to be released from prisons during first phase

The list of Palestinian prisoners has been made public so that those who suffered from their actions could challenge their release with Israel’s Supreme Court

TEL AVIV, January 17. /TASS/. Israel has published a list of 95 Palestinian prisoners who will be released during phase one of the hostage release deal.

"This is an incomplete list related only to the first phase. The full list will be made public after the government approves the deal," the Israeli justice ministry said, adding that first prisoners will be released after 4:00 p.m. local time (2:00 p.m. GMT) on Sunday, in case Israel’s government approves the Gaza deal.

The list of Palestinian prisoners has been made public so that those who suffered from their actions could challenge their release with Israel’s Supreme Court. The judges are expected to consider these motions on Sunday.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is holding a government meeting, which is expected to endorse the agreement with Hamas on the release of Israeli hostages held in the Gaza Strip and a ceasefire in the enclave.

The Israeli war cabinet approved the Gaza deal earlier in the day and recommended the country’s government endorse it. The war cabinet’s meeting lasted for more than six hours, the Ynet portal said.

Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said late on January 15 that thanks to the mediatory efforts of Egypt, Qatar, and the United States, Israel and Hamas had reached an agreement on a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the release of hostages held in the enclave.

The agreement will come into force on Sunday, January 19. During the 42-day first phase of the Gaza ceasefire deal, Hamas will release 33 hostages, including civilian and military women, as well as children, the elderly and the wounded in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails and detention centers.

Tensions flared up in the Middle East on October 7, 2023, when militants from the Gaza Strip-based radical Palestinian movement Hamas staged a surprise attack on Israeli territory from Gaza, killing residents of Israeli border settlements and taking over 240 hostages. In response, Israel launched a military operation in Gaza to eradicate Hamas’ military and political structure and to release all the hostages. According to the latest data of the Israeli side, 98 people are still held hostage in Gaza.