Majority of Palestinian prisoners slated for release in Israel-Hamas deal comprise teen boys

Tel Aviv: An official Israeli list reveals that the majority of Palestinian detainees lined up for release in an Israel-Hamas exchange deal, aimed at securing the freedom of hostages held in Gaza, mainly consist of teenage boys.

Israel disclosed the names of 300 Palestinian detainees eligible for release under the agreement.

According to the terms of the deal, the initial phase involves the release of 50 Israeli hostages within four days, with 150 security detainees to be freed in return. The agreement suggests the possibility of further releases at a ratio of three to one, reported AFP.

Upon examining the names, it was found that among the identified individuals, 33 were women, 123 were boys below 18 years old, and 144 were 18-year-old boys.

The youngest detainee listed was Adam Abuda Hassan Gheit, a 14-year-old from annexed east Jerusalem, arrested for alleged involvement in hostile sabotage, attacking a police officer, and throwing stones in May.

The roster also includes a 59-year-old woman named Hanan Salah Abdallah Barghuti, apprehended in September for purported "Hamas activity including money transfers."

The list categorises 49 individuals as Hamas members, 60 affiliated with Fatah - the party leading the Palestinian Authority in the occupied West Bank, and 17 associated with the leftist Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), with unspecified affiliations for others.

Noteworthy among those listed is Israa Jaabis, aged 38, convicted in 2015 for detonating a gas cylinder in her car at a checkpoint, causing injury to a police officer. She received an 11-year prison sentence.

Israeli rights organisation HaMoked expressed approval of the deal, stating that holding people as hostages is illegal and a war crime. Executive Director Jessica Montell emphasised that Hamas should unconditionally release all hostages, welcoming Israel's move to release prisoners and detainees to pursue this objective.

Montell highlighted that most individuals slated for release are detainees awaiting trial on various charges ranging from incitement to attempted murder. Additionally, the list comprises women and teenagers held without charge or trial under administrative detention.

She stressed the necessity of their unconditional release, considering the significance of a deal to release Israeli hostages and Palestinian administrative detainees.