Israel moves prisoners ahead of Gaza deal exchange
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Visitors at a memorial site for fallen soldiers in southern Israel looking towards the devastated Gaza Strip on Oct 11.
PHOTO: AFP
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JERUSALEM – Israel has begun transferring prisoners to two jails ahead of their release as part of the Gaza ceasefire deal, designed to lead to the release of hostages held by Hamas, the prison service said on Oct 11.
Thousands of staff, including prison officers, “operated throughout the night in order to implement the government’s decision: ‘the framework for the release of all Israeli hostages’”, a statement said.
Under the truce deal,
Another 1,700 Palestinians – detained by the Israeli military in its offensives in Gaza launched in the two years since the deadly Oct 7, 2023, Hamas attack – will also be released under the ceasefire arrangement.
The Israeli prison service said the 250 were being transferred to Ofer Prison in the occupied West Bank and to Ketziot in southern Israel’s Negev desert, near the border with Egypt.
They will remain in these jails until a decision from Israeli leaders to continue the operation in order to “enable the return of the hostages to Israel”. AFP
