CNN –
Almost seven weeks after the start of the war, Israel and Hamas have agreed on a deal that would see the return of 150 Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli prisons in exchange for the release of at least 50 women and children held in Gaza during a four-day break are in the fight, bringing hope to many families.
The first hostages were initially expected to be released on Thursday, but Israel’s National Security Council said no hostages would be released that day until Friday.
The reasons for the delay are unclear, but an Israeli official familiar with the matter downplayed its seriousness, citing “fairly insignificant implementation details.”
The affected Palestinian prisoners are women and children, Hamas said on Wednesday, adding that the agreement also calls for the import of hundreds of trucks carrying aid, medical supplies and fuel to all parts of the besieged area.
The Israeli government on Wednesday released a list of 300 Palestinian prisoners for possible release as Israel offers a possible second phase of exchanges.
The list includes the age of the prisoners and the charges on which they are being held – the most common being stone throwing and “damaging regional security”.
Others are listed as being detained on charges of supporting illegal terrorist organizations, charges of illegal weapons, sedition and at least two charges of attempted murder. Some of the people are listed as members of Hamas and other Islamic militant groups, but many of the prisoners are not listed as affiliated with any organization.
Most Palestinian prisoners eligible for release are male teenagers aged 16 to 18 – children under the UN definition – although a handful are as young as 14. By CNN’s count, about 33 are women.
This release will represent a fraction of the Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli prisons.
A radio station in the West Bank city of Ramallah has for 20 years been a way for Palestinian families to maintain contact with imprisoned relatives. Callers send voice notes to radio presenter Murad Abu Al Saba, which he then broadcasts on Radio Ajyal.
“How are you, Aunt Hannadi? I love you,” a young girl is heard saying in a voice memo played on the radio on Al Saba’s phone. “When will you be released from prison?” asks the girl.
The young girl’s aunt is a Palestinian activist who was arrested by Israeli authorities – along with thousands of others – following the deadly Hamas attacks on October 7.
Alex Platt/CNN
Murad Abu Al Saba, host at Radio Ajyal, sits at the radio station in Ramallah, West Bank, on November 22, 2023.
“We have three phone lines here to receive messages from the prisoners’ families,” anchor Al Saba told CNN, adding that due to the volume of calls, some people were unable to get through.
“That’s why we started making promo announcements,” he said. “If you can’t get through, send us a voice note via WhatsApp.”
Families have no way of knowing whether prisoners can hear their messages, but that doesn’t stop them from sending them.
Another family – revered by many Palestinians but viewed as a threat by the state of Israel – is also waiting for their relatives to return.
Speaking to CNN at her home in Ramallah, Iman Barghouti prays for the release of her husband Nael and her sister-in-law Hannan.
Hannan was arrested along with her three sons after October 7th. They are in administrative detention, which means they are being held without knowing the charges against them and without being tried.
Iman said neither she nor Hannan were involved in the politics of this war, but they were still suffering its consequences.
Mussa Qawasma/Portal
The family of a young Palestinian prisoner watches television news about the hostage deal between Israel and Hamas near Hebron on November 21, 2023.
Hannan is now a grandmother and is on Israel’s list of those eligible to return home as part of the hostage deal. Her sons remain in prison.
“They (Hannan’s grandchildren) are waiting to see their grandmother,” Iman told CNN. “She has a wonderful relationship with them, she loves everyone.”
Amid Iman’s optimism about Hannan’s possible release, she begins to hope that her husband Nael el Barghouti – the longest-serving Palestinian political prisoner – could also be released as part of an exchange, although he is not among the 300 prisoners listed by Israel.
The announcement of the agreement between Hamas and Israel was a “happy day for us,” Iman said.
Since his first arrest 44 years ago, in 1978, for involvement in attacks on the Israeli military, Nael has been in and out of prison. He was released under the 2011 Israel-Hamas deal, which exchanged 1,100 Palestinians for an Israeli soldier held by Hamas for five years, Gilad Shalit. According to Israeli media, Nael was arrested again by Israeli forces in 2014 for “Hamas membership” and has been serving a life sentence since then.
There are currently around 8,300 Palestinian prisoners being held in Israeli prisons, said Qadura Fares, head of the Palestinian Commission for the Affairs of Detainees and Former Prisoners.
More than 3,000 of them are being held in what Israel calls “administrative detention,” Fares told CNN, adding that this means they are being held without knowing the charges against them and without any ongoing legal proceedings .
Most of the prisoners are men, Fares said, adding that about 85 women and 350 children are also in custody.
Israel has increased its arrests since the October 7 Hamas attacks. This month alone, up to 2,070 arrests have been documented in the occupied West Bank and Jerusalem, according to the Palestinian Prisoners’ Society, a nongovernmental organization dedicated to the concern of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons. This includes 145 children and 55 women.
Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh claimed to Portal last week that Israel had increased the number of arrests in advance of a hostage deal. “Israel is preparing for a prisoner exchange, and they are arresting as many people as possible simply because they are preparing for such a deal,” Shtayyeh said.
James Oatway/Portal
Qadura Fares, head of the Palestinian Commission for Detainees and Former Prisoners’ Affairs, speaks during an interview with Portal at his office in Ramallah, November 15, 2023.
This week’s diplomatic breakthrough offers a glimmer of hope for the families of Palestinian and Israeli hostages.
According to the latest figures from the Israeli military, Hamas is holding 236 hostages in Gaza, including foreigners from 26 countries. The kidnappings took place on October 7 as Hamas militants launched their brutal attack on Israel, killing at least 1,200 people.
So far four hostages have been released – two American women and two Israeli women. An Israeli soldier kidnapped by Hamas was rescued by Israeli forces, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said.
While the first phase of the deal would involve the release of 150 prisoners in four stages over four days, the Israeli Cabinet Secretariat said, additional Palestinians could potentially be released from the list of 300 prisoners in exchange for the handover of at least 10 Israeli abductees each Handed over to Israeli security forces on the day.
This story has been updated with additional developments.