30 Palestinian prisoners freed under truce deal: Israel

Thirty Palestinian prisoners were freed overnight Wednesday, Israeli prison authorities said, in the final exchange under an extended truce deal due to expire within hours.

“During the night, 30 male and female security prisoners were released from a number of prison facilities,” the country’s prison service said in a statement.

Among those freed was Ahed Tamimi, a 22-year-old activist who has become a key figure for Palestinians defying the Israeli occupation.

She was detained over an Instagram post, which her family denies she made, that Israeli sources said called for the massacre of Israelis and made reference to Hitler.

Her mother Narimane, whose husband has also been detained, said Ahed was not even able to open a social media account.

The overnight releases, which came after a sixth batch of hostages were freed from Gaza, bring the number of Palestinian prisoners freed by Israel under a truce deal to 210.

Hamas and other militants in Gaza have released 70 Israelis under the deal, along with nearly 30 hostages of other nationalities outside the truce framework.

The released hostages and prisoners have been greeted with celebrations by friends and family, but clashes have erupted for several nights between Palestinians and Israeli security forces outside the Ofer Prison.

The Palestinian Red Crescent said five people were injured, one seriously, by live fire outside the prison overnight. (BSS/AFP)