369 Palestinian security prisoners were released in exchange for hostages Sagui Dekel Chen, Alexander Sasha Troufanov, and Iair Horn on Saturday in the sixth wave of the hostage deal’s first phase between Israel and Hamas.
Among the 369 are notable terrorists with blood on their hands and are serving life sentences, according to army radio. Overall, 36 of the prisoners who are being released were serving life sentences.
All the prisoners were given and made to wear sweatshirts by the Israel Prison Service (IPS) bearing the message in Arabic: “We will not forget nor forgive” as well as the Star of David symbol. A source involved in the matter criticized IPS to have them wear the sweatshirts to KAN and clarified that the political echelon was not informed about the decision. The source said that dressing the terrorists in those sweatshirts is problematic, as Israel is trying to exploit the way Hamas handles the release of hostages to emphasize terrorist organization’s cynicism.
Upon the distribution of the photos, the IPS said that the decision was made by IPS Commissioner Kobi Yaakovi, KAN reported.
Hamas condemned decision, saying that the messages are “racist slogans on the backs of our heroic prisoners,” claiming that Israel had “treated them with cruelty and violence, in a blatant violation of humanitarian laws and norms, in contrast to the resistance’s steadfast commitment to moral values in treating the enemy’s prisoners.”
Who are the notable terrorists being released?
One of the prisoners is Ahmed Barghouti, the close aide and cousin of convicted terrorist Marwan Barghouti, and was sentenced to 13 life sentences after being convicted of direct involvement in a series of attacks in which 12 Israelis were murdered.
Another terrorist set to be released is Fatah terrorist Mazen al-Qadi, who was convicted of aiding the terrorist who carried out a terror attack at a seafood market restaurant in Tel Aviv in 2002 in which 3 Israelis were murdered. He was serving three life sentences and 20 years in prison for his role in the attacks. He is also the terrorist who was suspected of having relations with five female prison guard conscripts at Ramon Prison in 2023.
Another Fatah terrorist imprisoned during the Second Intifada set to be released is Mantzur Sharim. Originally from Tulkarm, he was responsible for a series of attacks in which many Israelis were murdered, including a mass shooting at a banquet hall in Hadera in which 6 Israelis were murdered and 26 were wounded. He was additionally responsible for the murders of a soldier and a civilian in 2001. He was sentenced to 14 life sentences and an additional 50 years in prison.
In addition to Fatah terrorists, Hamas terrorists are also among the 369 to be released, including Nael Obeid, who was involved in the bombing at Cafe Hillel in Jerusalem in 2003, in which seven Israelis were murdered and 57 were wounded.
Another terrorist to be released is Muhammad Mezlah, who was involved in the 2000 Ramallah lynching that killed two IDF reservists.
Other terrorists set to be released are senior officials from the Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades, including Ahmed Abu Hader, Muhammad Naifa, and Wadah al-Bazara. Hader planned an attack at the Sheba Medical Center and was given 11 life sentences and an additional 50 years in prison. Naifa, along with Osama Ashkar, another terrorist to be released, are responsible for two attacks during the Second Intifada in October 2002 in the settlement of Hermesh and Kibbutz Metzer, where eight Israelis were murdered, including four children.
Al-Aqsa Brigades commander Abd al-Karim Awis and terrorist Amjad Takatka, are also set to be released. Both were imprisoned due to being linked to the terrorist attack in the Mahane Yehuda market in Jerusalem in 2002, in which six civilians were murdered.
Bakr Najjar, another terrorist who will be released, was was involved in a shooting attack at the Zif Junction in 2002 in which four Israelis were murdered.
Other terrorists who will be released include Rasem Hussein from Tulkarm, who played a significant role in two terror attacks attacks in 2002 and Shadi Abu Shahidam, a terrorist who sent a female suicide bomber to carry out an attack on Jaffa Street in Jerusalem in 2002 in which one civilian was murdered and more than 100 were injured, army radio noted.
This is the largest number of prisoners being released in a single day since the implementation of the hostage deal.
Alon Hachmon contributed to this report.
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