Israel released 90 Palestinian prisoners and detainees on Sunday as part of a ceasefire deal brokered with Hamas, though the process faced delays over a dispute regarding the list of individuals to be freed.
White buses carrying the detainees left Israel’s Ofer prison near Ramallah in the West Bank, greeted by crowds of cheering Palestinians and celebratory fireworks. According to the Palestinian Authority’s Commission for Prisoners’ Affairs, all of those released were women or minors.
Israel detained the individuals for alleged security offenses ranging from throwing stones to more serious accusations such as attempted murder. The release comes as part of an agreement tied to the ongoing Gaza ceasefire deal, under which Hamas also freed three Israeli hostages earlier in the day.
Hamas officials reported that a last-minute issue arose over the prisoner list, causing a delay in the release. In a statement, Hamas claimed one female prisoner was missing from the agreed-upon list.
“During the process of checking the names of the prisoners being released from Ofer prison, there was found to be one female prisoner missing,” Hamas said.
The group added that its officials were working with mediators and the Red Cross to pressure Israel to comply with the terms of the agreement. The issue was reportedly being resolved, with buses of released detainees eventually departing from the prison.
The Israeli military has not commented on the delay or the dispute over the prisoner list.
