Nearly 2,000 Palestinian Prisoners Freed in Ceasefire Deal as Gaza Faces Deep Crisis
On Oct. 13, nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners were released from Israeli custody as part of a negotiated ceasefire agreement, sparking scenes of jubilation and grief across the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. Many had spent years in confinement, some without formal charges, and returned to a homeland devastated by two years of war. Their freedom was met with tears, cheers, and disbelief as families reunited amid the rubble.
According to official sources, more than 1,700 of those freed had been detained without indictment since the Gaza war began on Oct. 7, 2023, after Hamas-led attacks killed more than 1,000 Israelis. About 250 others were serving long sentences for violent crimes, including murder. The mass release quickly turned into a public spectacle, with crowds lining streets to welcome buses carrying the detainees. The freed prisoners waved Palestinian flags through windows and flashed victory signs as relatives pushed through the crowds to find loved ones.
The group included members of major Palestinian factions such as Hamas, Fatah, and Islamic Jihad, but notably did not include Marwan Barghouti, a prominent figure often likened to Nelson Mandela.
Several freed prisoners described enduring harsh treatment during their detention. Ahmed Awad, who had been serving three life sentences, claimed that humiliation and severe beatings were a daily reality. The Palestinian Red Crescent Society reported that some detainees showed signs of broken ribs and eye trauma. Israeli authorities, however, vehemently denied these allegations, maintaining that no such incidents occurred under their supervision. The joy of their homecoming was immediately juxtaposed with the harsh reality on the ground. Much of Gaza lies in ruins, and severe shortages of food, clean water, and electricity persist. Aid organizations have warned that a “man-made” famine is spreading across the territory.
Mahmoud Nabil Faraj, a displaced shopkeeper, said he now lives in a tent after losing his home and business. “These are the hardest days we’ve ever lived,” he said. “Our children are deprived of the basic foods needed to grow, and our bodies have become frail and weak due to the lack of nutrition.”
While the ceasefire offered a brief reprieve from the violence, many Gazans fear that peace and the fragile freedom of the newly released may prove temporary amid ongoing uncertainty and scarcity.
Sean Jung R&D Division Director teen/1762393392/1613367592
1. Who among the well-known Palestinian political leaders was notably not included in the mass prisoner release?
2. What kinds of treatment did some of the freed prisoners report experiencing during their detention?
3. When did the ceasefire agreement that allowed the release of nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners occur?
4. How did the physical conditions of Gaza?such as destruction, shortages, and displacement?shape the atmosphere surrounding the release?
1. How would you feel if someone close to you returned home after years in prison but found their hometown destroyed?
2. What do you think it would be like to celebrate freedom while still facing hunger and loss all around you?
3. If you lived in Gaza during this time, how might you balance hope for peace with fear of more violence?
4. What would you do to help people rebuild their lives after such long years of war and separation?
On Oct. 13, nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners were released from Israeli custody as part of a negotiated ceasefire agreement, sparking scenes of jubilation and grief across the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. Many had spent years in confinement, some without formal charges, and returned to a homeland devastated by two years of war. Their freedom was met with tears, cheers, and disbelief as families reunited amid the rubble.
