Israel to free 550 prisoners in swap deal
December 15th, 2011 - 9:29 am ICT by IANSJerusalem, Dec 15 (IANS) Israel will free 550 Palestinian and Arab prisoners as part of the second phase of a landmark prisoner-swap deal with Hamas, Xinhua reported.
“Pursuant to the government of Israel’s decision … 550 prisoners will be released Sunday,” the Israel Prison Service (IPS) said in a statement Wednesday.
After preliminary identification and medical checks Thursday night, the prisoners will be escorted to two detention facilities, from where they will leave for West Bank and Gaza, it said.
According to the local Ynet news service, some 400 of them have already served two-thirds of their jail terms.
The release of these inmates is the second and final stage of a swap deal, in which Israel sets free 1,027 Palestinian and Arab prisoners in exchange for captive Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit.
The first batch of 477 prisoners were released Oct 18, the same day Shalit returned home after being held by Hamas for over five years.
- To avoid abduction, Israeli troops to carry tear gas - Nov 24, 2011
- Israeli-Palestinian prisoner swap deal to start Tuesday - Oct 15, 2011
- Seize Israeli soldiers to swap for Palestinian prisoners: Hamas - Oct 07, 2011
- Israel names Palestinian prisoners to swap for Shalit - Oct 16, 2011
- Egypt confirms Israeli-Palestinian prisoners swap deal - Oct 12, 2011
- Israel likely to exchange 980 Palestinian prisoners for Shalit - Nov 30, 2009
- Israel to harden conditions of imprisoned Palestinians - Jun 24, 2011
- Hamas calls on Palestinians to abduct Israelis - Apr 18, 2012
- Israeli defence minister, Mubarak meet in Egypt - Jan 27, 2010
- Five Palestinians killed in Israeli airstrike - Oct 30, 2011
- Israel inner cabinet meets to discuss prisoner swap deal - Dec 21, 2009
- Demands in exchange for Shalit will grow: Hamas - Jun 28, 2010
- Israel frees 19 Palestinian prisoners in proof-of-life deal - Oct 02, 2009
- Four doctors visited Israeli soldier held in Gaza Strip: report - Dec 06, 2009
- Hamas threatens to kidnap more Israeli soldiers - Mar 29, 2009
Tags: arab prisoners, detention facilities, gilad shalit, government of israel, hamas, inmates, ips, israel prison service, israeli soldier, jail terms, jerusalem, landmark, medical checks, second phase, swap deal, thursday night, west bank, west bank and gaza, xinhua, ynet news