With the world’s attention fixated on the release of three Israeli hostages from Hamas captivity on Sunday evening, much less was made of the release of 90 Palestinians from Israeli prison — most of whom had been held for months without charges. The first exchanges of the Gaza ceasefire agreement were due to take place more or less in tandem, but Israel delayed the release from Ofer Prison in the occupied West Bank by around seven hours, leaving the families of prisoners waiting until 1 a.m to be reunited with their loved ones.
Israel blamed the delay on the Red Cross, while Palestinian officials claimed there was an issue with Israel’s list of prisoners to be released. Overall, the process surrounding their release was marked by the collective punishment that is characteristic of Israel’s treatment of Palestinians in the occupied territories. ….more
