Israel’s Justice Ministry on Friday released the names of 250 prisoners set to be freed as part of a ceasefire and hostage exchange agreement with Hamas.
The list, however, notably excludes several prominent Palestinian militant leaders whose release Hamas has repeatedly demanded. Among those not included are Marwan Barghouti, Ahmad Saadat, Hassan Salameh, and Abbas al-Sayyed — all of whom are serving life sentences in Israeli prisons.
Barghouti, sentenced in 2004 for multiple counts of murder, is labeled a terrorist by Israel but is seen by many Palestinians as a symbol of resistance and often referred to as the “Palestinian Mandela.”
The exchange is part of the first phase of a broader ceasefire deal based on a 20-point proposal put forward by US President Donald Trump. Under the agreement, Israel will release 250 prisoners along with approximately 1,700 Gazans detained since the outbreak of the war, which began after Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack on Israel.
In return, Hamas has agreed to release 47 hostages still held from the 251 abducted during the 2023 assault. The remains of one more hostage, believed to have been held in Gaza since 2014, are also expected to be returned.
