Israeli media have disclosed new details surrounding the finalized list of Palestinian detainees slated for release under the initial phase of the recently brokered exchange agreement with Hamas, part of the ceasefire framework in Gaza.
The list, confirmed by sources cited in Walla News, includes 195 Palestinians serving life sentences. Of these, only 60 are affiliated with Hamas, while the remainder belong to other Palestinian factions and political organizations.
Preparations for the release are already underway. According to Yedioth Ahronoth, the Israeli Prison Service has begun transferring detainees from five separate facilities to designated release centers.
The deal reportedly covers the release of approximately 250 detainees serving life terms, along with 1,700 Palestinians from Gaza who were abducted and imprisoned by Israel since October 7, 2023.
In return, Hamas is expected to release at least 20 living Israeli captives within 72 hours of the ceasefire’s activation.
This condition is outlined in the official agreement published by Israel’s public broadcaster Kan.
The deal also establishes a joint oversight mechanism involving Qatar, Egypt, Turkey, and the International Committee of the Red Cross, tasked with gathering information about the fate of Israeli captives believed to have died in Gaza. Israeli estimates suggest that 48 captives remain in Gaza, with 20 presumed alive and the rest believed to have died during the war.
Walla further reported that Israel’s internal security agency, Shin Bet, objected to roughly 100 names proposed during negotiations and excluded 25 high-profile detainees, citing ongoing security concerns.
Despite repeated demands from Hamas, the final list excludes several prominent figures whose release has long been central to prisoner exchange talks.
Among those omitted are Marwan Barghouti, a senior Fatah leader imprisoned since 2002; Ahmad Saadat, Secretary-General of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine; and Hassan Salameh, a key figure in Palestinian armed resistance.
Israeli authorities have consistently refused to include these individuals in any exchange, framing their release as a red line. Their continued detention has remained a major obstacle in negotiations over the past two years.
Al-Jazeera confirmed that these exclusions were a point of contention throughout the talks, and that Shin Bet’s intervention played a decisive role in shaping the final list.
The network also reported that the broader agreement reflects a compromise shaped by regional mediators and intense backchannel negotiations.
Human rights organizations estimate that more than 11,000 Palestinians are currently held in Israeli prisons, including hundreds of women and children.
Detainees face harsh and degrading conditions, including prolonged solitary confinement, denial of medical care, and physical abuse. These practices have led to numerous deaths in custody, drawing condemnation from legal and humanitarian groups across the region.
