The Gaza Ceasefire: Prisoner Swap Dynamics

In the recent Gaza ceasefire deal, Israel agreed to release Palestinian prisoners in exchange for hostages taken by Hamas. The final list of those to be freed is still uncertain. Among the prominent figures detained are Hamas and Fatah members, which include Abdallah Al-Barghouti and Marwan Al-Barghouti.

The recent ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas has introduced a significant prisoner swap aspect. As part of the deal that came into force on Sunday, Israel is set to release a number of Palestinian prisoners in exchange for hostages captured by Hamas during their attack on October 7, 2023.

The agreement, however, lacks finality on which prisoners will be released in return for hostages. The uncertainty is due in part to the unknown number of hostages who will eventually be liberated or how many survive. On Sunday, Hamas announced that 90 prisoners, including 69 women and 21 teenage boys, will be freed.

Currently, there are about 10,400 Palestinians held in Israeli jails, excluding those detained in Gaza over the past 15 months. Prominent detainees, such as members of Hamas and Fatah, include Abdallah Al-Barghouti, sentenced to 67 life terms, and Marwan Al-Barghouti, a prominent Fatah member serving multiple life sentences. They are not expected to be released imminently.

(With inputs from agencies.)