Gaza: The Palestinian Commission of Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs, alongside the Palestinian Prisoners' Club, announced that the Israeli occupation forces released 1,968 Palestinian prisoners on Monday. This release includes 250 individuals serving life sentences.
According to Kuwait News Agency, the releases are part of the initial phase of US President Donald Trump's plan for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. The released prisoners were divided into two groups: 96 were freed from the Israeli occupation's Ofer Prison, located west of Ramallah, while 154 prisoners serving life sentences were transferred from the Gaza Strip to Egypt. Additionally, 1,718 detainees from the Gaza Strip, who were imprisoned after October 7, 2023, were also released.
The joint statement from the Commission and the Club highlighted that this agreement marks the third such deal since the outbreak of the genocide war. Previously, in November 2023, 240 prisoners were released in successive batches, and in January and February 2025, 1,777 prisoners gained their freedom. Collectively, these deals have resulted in the release of 3,985 Palestinian prisoners.
The statement also addressed the treatment of Palestinian prisoners, noting they have been subjected to numerous crimes against humanity, including physical and psychological torture, intentional starvation, and denial of medical care. Earlier, Hamas transferred the remaining Israeli captives to the Red Cross in two stages, though the return of deceased captives' bodies is delayed due to the extensive destruction from the two-year genocide war.
Furthermore, prisoner organizations report that over 11,000 detainees remain in Israeli jails, enduring harsh conditions characterized by torture, starvation, and systemic medical neglect, leading to several deaths. Among these detainees, 350 are serving life sentences, with 40 more awaiting similar sentencing. The prisons also hold 53 female detainees, including three from Gaza, and two minors.
Approximately 400 child prisoners are incarcerated in Ofer and Megiddo prisons, and around 3,380 detainees are held without trial as of October. Since October 7, 2023, genocidal actions by Israeli forces in the Gaza Strip have resulted in the deaths of more than 67,806 individuals, injuries to over 170,000-predominantly children and women-and a famine that claimed 463 Palestinian lives, including 157 children.