Israel's Prison Service began transferring 90 Palestinian detainees to Ofer Prison near Ramallah in the occupied West Bank on Sunday, in preparation for their release under a Gaza ceasefire agreement, according to local media. Israeli Channel 12 reported that 78 detainees are set to be released to the West Bank, while 12 will be sent to East Jerusalem. The releases are contingent on the arrival of Israeli captives in Israel, the report added. The list of prisoners to be released includes prominent figures such as Khalida Jarrar, a leader in the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), and journalist Bushra al-Tawil, the daughter of Hamas leader Jamal al-Tawil. This was confirmed in a joint statement by the Palestinian Commission of Detainees' Affairs, the Palestinian Prisoner Society, and the Prisoners' Media Office. The detainees to be freed include 69 women, 20 children, and one young man, the statement said. None of the prisoners are from Gaza. The Gaza ceasefire agreement officially took effect at 11:15 a.m. local time (0915 GMT) on Sunday, following delays attributed to disputes over the release list of captives. It was initially scheduled to commence at 8:30 a.m. Since the outbreak of Israel's war on Gaza on Oct. 7, 2023, local health authorities have reported over 47,000 deaths, primarily women and children, and more than 110,700 injuries. The conflict has also left over 11,000 people missing, amid extensive destruction and a deepening humanitarian crisis, regarded as one of the most severe in modern history. In November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza. Additionally, Israel faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice over its actions in the enclave. — Agencies
