As images transmitted on Egyptian television proved Israeli prisoner Gilad Shalit had been given over to Israeli hands, the green light was given Tuesday morning for the first step of the Palestinian prisoner release to begin. A total of 477 prisoners were transferred on Monday from a prison in the Negev into Egypt, the majority of them their final destination Palestinian territory. 336 Palestinians reached Gaza by morning and some 100 arrived in the West Bank. Celebrations have surged in the West Bank and Gaza, and the Rafah border had been declared a closed military zone during the festivities. Gaza City Tuesday was a vibrant, fire-cracking show of joy as the detainees return home. A national holiday was declared, and schools were closed. The electricity cables hanging between houses were ornamented with rows of Hamas flags. Hamas was seen patrolling the streets of Gaza City, as Hamas officials were quoted saying that the movement urged people in the West Bank to also celebrate the release of detainees, as “a moment uniting all Palestinians.” In Ramallah, thousands crammed together into the headquarters of the Palestinian presidency, the Muqattaa, to greet prisoners released into the West Bank as the first buses of prisoners arrived. Speeches were given from both Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Hamas senior official Hasan Yussef, celebrating the “day of triumph” for all Palestinians. The stage Tuesday was set for talks of unity, backing the recent talk of an upcoming reconciliation between Hamas and Fatah. From the stage, Abbas also revealed new information that additional prisoners might be freed in the second stage of the swap. “We hope soon to see [Marwan] Barghouti and [Ahmed] Saadat, as well as every prisoner freed,” he said, referring to the main figures that Israel has until now refused to release. The swap agreed last week between Hamas and Israel and has been depicted as a high-profile swap and as “quite an outstanding example of Hamas-Israeli cooperation” in a matter of common interest: Receiving home prisoners who have great political value. “We are going home with dignity, thank God,” one prisoner told Egyptian television from one of the buses transporting the prisoners. “Thank God for this great achievement. The Palestinian people deserve to live in freedom like everyone else,” said another freed prisoner, thanking Egypt for mediating the deal. Israel then began welcoming home former Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) Soldier Gilad Shalit, and Palestinians of the West Bank and Gaza will see 1,027 Palestinians freed from incarceration, but not necessarily returned home. 41 in total out the freed 477 will not make it to Palestinian land. They are due to fly out of Cairo and into exile in Turkey, Syria or Qatar. The Arab League urged Israel to release all Palestinian prisoners. After the swap, approximately 5000 Palestinians will remain inside Israeli jails. Hamas officials have vigorously been rejecting any criticism of the agreement. Both Fatah officials and main figures from Hamas' own ranks have dubbed it “deficient,” as it excludes some of the most central figures, Barghouti and Saadat from liberation. Abu Marzouq, deputy head of the Hamas politburo, on Tuesday promoted the agreement by saying that Israel had pledged to lift the siege on Gaza, and that such an agreement might not be too far away. “Israel pledged not to pursue the prisoners for their actions prior to their detention”, Abu Marzouq said, adding that: “the deal was the only chance for hundreds of the prisoners to be freed. Some of the released detainees were serving multiple life sentences.” He added that Israel had crossed many of its own red lines in the agreement, including releasing prisoners with “blood on their hands” and freeing detainees from inside Israel. BM
