Gaza prepares for fourth prisoner exchange amid ceasefire deal

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies + Al Mayadeen
1 Feb 2025 08:28

Palestinian Resistance factions have been preparing the exchange platform and related procedures since Friday night.

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A crowd greets Islamic Jihad and Hamas fighters as they arrive for the handover of Israeli and Thai captives to the Red Cross in the south Gaza Strip town of Khan Younis, on Thursday, January 30, 2025. (AP)

The Gaza Strip is set to release a fourth group of Israeli captives held by Palestinian factions today, Saturday, in exchange for "Israel’s" release of 90 Palestinian detainees.

Preparations for the exchange are in full swing in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, as Israeli reconnaissance drones hover overhead, closely monitoring the operation.

Al Mayadeen’s correspondent in Gaza reported that the exchange is expected to begin officially around 11:00 AM local time. Palestinian Resistance factions have been preparing the exchange platform and related procedures since Friday night.

Meanwhile, the Palestinian Prisoners’ Information Office confirmed that "Israel" will release 72 prisoners serving life or long-term sentences and 111 detainees from Gaza who were arrested after October 7, 2023.

Nahed Al-Fakhouri, head of media at the Martyrs, Prisoners, and Wounded Affairs Office, stated that following the Palestinian Resistance’s submission of Israeli captives' names, the scheduled release will include:

18 Palestinian detainees serving life sentences
54 detainees with long-term or life sentences
111 Gazans detained after October 7

Al-Fakhouri emphasized that "the release of this batch comes as part of the Palestinian Resistance’s relentless efforts in the battle to free Palestinian detainees, reaffirming its national and moral commitment to breaking their chains and ending their suffering in occupation prisons."

In previous exchanges, the Resistance has handed over Israeli captives at various locations in Gaza, with fighters from multiple factions participating in the handovers amid large crowds waving Resistance flags and images of martyrs.

As part of the agreement that ended the war on the Gaza Strip, the Israeli occupation has released dozens of Palestinian prisoners, particularly those serving lengthy sentences or life terms. In the most recent batch, 110 Palestinian prisoners and detainees were freed from Israeli prisons, including 32 sentenced to life, 48 serving various sentences, and 30 minors.

Among those released in the third batch was Zakaria al-Zubaidi, one of the heroes of the 2021 Operation Freedom Tunnel, as well as commander Mohammad Atiya Abu Warda, whom "Israel" considers one of the most dangerous freed prisoners, and Rashid al-Risheq, accused of planning the assassination of Israeli Police Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir.

Hamas turns captives release scenes into humiliation for 'Israel': WSJ

Hamas used the prisoner-captive exchange deal as a spectacle to assert its control over the Gaza Strip, sending a clear message that "Israel" is powerless to stop it, a Wall Street Journal report on Friday highlighted.

The WSJ wrote that the pattern began two weeks ago when the first Israeli captives were released as part of the ceasefire agreement.

Armed Hamas fighters released captives on Thursday in front of the rubble of martyr Yahya al-Sinwar's house.

According to The Wall Street Journal report, this time, the captives faced difficulties exiting Hamas vehicles as crowds gathered again to receive and photograph them. The Red Cross vehicles were not present, leaving the captives to navigate through the crowds with their armed militants providing protection.

Regional analysts say Hamas has turned each round of captive releases in Gaza into a more complex event, using it as a display of power to humiliate the Israeli occupation.

According to the report, "Israel" responded angrily to the spectacle, announcing it would not release 110 Palestinian detainees as agreed in the deal. However, mediators, including the US envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff, quickly intervened to ensure the agreement remained intact. Ultimately, "Israel" released the detainees.

With its military operations paused and troops positioned on Gaza's outskirts, "Israel" has little ability to stop Hamas from turning captive releases into public displays.

That said, Hugh Lovatt, a senior fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations, noted that Hamas aims to "demonstrate its strength and prestige in Gaza."