As Israel prepares celebrations for the release of 20 living hostages perhaps as soon as Sunday, it is also set to release about 2,000 Palestinians for whom the Gaza captives are being exchanged.
The bitterest subject for Israel is the release of 250 “security prisoners”, a term typically used for people convicted of terrorism or facing related charges. The strongest opposition to the release of such prisoners comes from the Israeli far-right, which has a powerful role in Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition, as well as groups representing the families of Israelis killed in Palestinian attacks.
Israel’s security agencies also have a say in which prisoners are too dangerous for release. The release of the 250 security prisoners means that only about 40 remain incarcerated, a group that includes many of the most famous names. The rest of the roughly 2,000 Palestinians set to be released are detainees from Gaza taken after the outbreak of the war.
The dilemma sparked political drama in Israel on Sunday, as mediators from Egypt, Qatar and the US engaged in last-minute negotiations with Israeli officials to secure the release of at least two of six particularly high-profile Palestinians incarcerated in Israeli prisons, sources told The National.
Israel has been adamant not to free any of the six, who are serving long-term prison terms or life following their conviction on security-related charges. Key among the six is Marwan Al Barghouti, a stalwart of the mainstream Palestinian faction Fatah and widely tipped as a successor to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. The other five are Abdullah Al Barghouti, Ahmed Saadat, Ibrahim Hamed, Hassan Salamah and Abbas Al Sayed.
Most prisoners set to be released are associated with the Fatah and Hamas factions. Fifteen have Israeli citizenship, with the rest hailing from the occupied West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem, as well as one who lived abroad. More than half of those released will be deported.
Among the highest profile prisoners set to be released are:
Maher Abu Srour
An informant convicted of murdering his handler from Israel’s domestic intelligence agency, Shin Bet. Nasser Abu Srour, an accomplice is also set to be released. Both are thought to be affiliated with Hamas.
Riyad Al Amur
Convicted of killing nine Israelis and currently serving 11 life sentences. He is thought to be associated with Fatah.
Mahmoud Al Arda
Convicted of killing an Israeli, but best known for being the mastermind of the 2021 Gilboa prison break, in which six security prisoners staged an escape that embarrassed Israeli authorities. The last two fugitives were only captured two weeks later. Another escapee, Iham Kamamji, convicted of a 2006 murder of an Israeli, is also set to be released. Both are thought to be affiliated with Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
Iyad Al Rub
A Palestinian Islamic Jihad commander convicted of organising suicide bombings that killed 13 people in the early 2000s.
Baher Bader
Planned the bombing of a bus station near an Israeli military base in the centre of the country, which killed eight people. He is serving 11 life sentences. Bader is thought to be affiliated with Hamas.
Fares Ganem
Ganem was sentenced to nine life sentences for eight murders. He is thought to be affiliated with Hamas.
Basem Khandakji
Khandakji was convicted of playing a role in a suicide bombing in Tel Aviv’s Carmel Market in 2004, which killed three and left more than 50 people wounded. He is also a novelist, whose book, A Mask, the Colour of the Sky, won the 2024 Arabic Booker Prize. He also published other writing from prison. He is thought to be associated with the PFLP group.
Mohammed Hamami, who was also imprisoned for his role in the bombing, is also set for release. He is thought to be affiliated with Fatah.
Raed Sheikh
A Palestinian police officer who was sentenced for the killing of two Israeli soldiers who accidentally strayed into the occupied West Bank city of Ramallah in 2000. Jihad Karim Aziz-Rum who was also imprisoned for the attack is set to be released. Both are thought to be affiliated with Fatah.
