Israel to release 42 Palestinian prisoners on day 2 of truce

Israel Prison Service has received a list of 42 Palestinian convicts to be released on day 2 of the truce agreed upon by Israel and Hamas. Saturday (25 November), is the second of four days in which more such exchanges are expected to take place. On Friday, Hamas released 13 hostages while Israel released 39 Palestinian prisoners under the hostage deal mediated by Qatar. The Prison Service says that the prisoners will first be transferred to Ofer Prison in the West Bank for initial medical checkups by the International Red Cross following which they will be released to the West Bank or East Jerusalem.

Under the truce - the first break in the seven-week war - 50 women and children held by Hamas are to be released in stages over four days in return for 150 Palestinian women and children who are among thousands of detainees in Israeli jails.

Hamas fighters freed 24 hostages on Friday - 13 Israelis, 10 Thai farm workers, and a Filipino - and 24 Palestinian women and 15 teenagers were later released from Israeli detention.

The former hostages underwent medical checks before returning for emotional reunions with relatives in Israel, where happiness mingled with concern for those still held by militants in Gaza.

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“I am happy I received my family back, it’s allowed to feel joy and it’s allowed to shed a tear. That’s a human thing,” said Yoni Katz Asher, whose wife Doron and children Raz and Aviv were freed on Friday. “But I am not celebrating, I will not celebrate until the last of the hostages returns home.”

With inputs from Reuters