JERUSALEM: Israel released about 600 prisoners overnight, including the longest-serving prisoner and a man convicted of killing an American peace activist, in the latest exchange for Israeli hostages held by Hamas.
They were supposed to have been released last weekend after Hamas freed six living hostages. But Israel delayed the release to protest Hamas’ practice of parading the captives before crowds during handovers. Hamas handed over the remains of four hostages overnight without any public display.
Israel released the 600 prisoners, but the Palestinian prisoners club, a group representing current and former prisoners, said Israel held back the release of 24 Palestinians detained in Gaza after the Hamas attack on Oct. 7, 2023 that sparked the war. They include 23 teenagers and men aged 15 to 19 and a woman who is 35. The group were set to be released later on Thursday, along with 22 more minors and one woman whose names were subsequently added to the list.
Israel views the prisoners as terrorists. Palestinians often see them as freedom fighters resisting a decades-long Israeli military occupation.
Nearly every Palestinian has a friend or family member who has been jailed by Israel for militant attacks or lesser offenses such as rock-throwing. Most are convicted in military trials that rights advocates say often lack due process. Some are incarcerated for months or years without trial in what is known as administrative detention. Israel says it’s needed to prevent attacks and avoid sharing sensitive intelligence.
Among those being released overnight into Thursday, 151 had been sentenced to life or long sentences for involvement in deadly attacks against Israelis. Forty-three were to be returned to the occupied West Bank and east Jerusalem, while 97 were to be sent into exile.
Around 500 others had been detained in Gaza after Hamas’ attack on Oct. 7, 2023, which sparked the war.
Israeli forces have arrested hundreds of people in Gaza and held them without trial. As part of the ceasefire, Israel committed to releasing more than 1,000 detainees who hadn’t participated in the Oct. 7 attack.
A look at some prominent prisoners released since the truce took effect on Jan. 19:
Nael Barghouti, 68
Barghouti, 68, from the West Bank village of Kobar, has spent over 45 years in Israeli prison and was serving a life sentence. Guinness World Records has called him the world’s longest-serving political prisoner. Israel says he is affiliated with Hamas.
First arrested in 1978 for his role in an attack that killed an Israeli bus driver, he was among more than 1,000 prisoners released in 2011 in exchange for an Israeli soldier held by Hamas in Gaza. Israel re-arrested Barghouti in 2014 and says his offenses include intentional manslaughter, membership in an illegal organization, producing a bomb, possessing explosives and conspiracy. He will be deported.
Bilal Abu Ghanem, 31
Ghanem, 31, from east Jerusalem, was serving three life sentences and 60 years for a bus attack in 2015 that killed three Israelis. One of those killed was Richard Lakin, an American educator who marched for civil rights and coexistence between Muslims and Jews.
Ghanem, who Israel says is affiliated with Hamas, will be deported. Israel says his offenses include intentional manslaughter, membership in an illegal organization, building a bomb, possession of explosives and conspiracy to commit a crime.
Ammar Al-Ziben, 50
Al-Ziben, 50, is from Nablus, in the West Bank. He was sentenced to 27 life terms for planning a bombing in a Jerusalem market in 1997 that killed 16 people, including a US citizen.
Israel says he is affiliated with Hamas and his offenses include possession of firearms, incitement, forgery, throwing firebombs and attempted murder. He will be deported.
Ahmed Barghouti, 48
He is a close aide of militant leader and political figure Marwan Barghouti, who is still imprisoned. The two aren’t closely related.
Ahmed Barghouti was given 13 life sentences for dispatching assailants to carry out attacks that killed Israeli civilians during the second intifada, or Palestinian uprising, in the early 2000s. As a commander in Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades, an armed offshoot of the secular Fatah Party, he was also convicted of possession of firearms and attempted murder.
He was sent to Egypt.
The Sarahneh brothers
Three brothers from east Jerusalem were released after more than 22 years in prison for their involvement in suicide bombings that killed Israelis during the second intifada. Israeli authorities brought Ibrahim, 55, and Musa, 63, to their homes in the West Bank.
The third brother, Khalil, 45, who was convicted of attempted murder and sentenced to life in 2002, was sent to Egypt.
Ibrahim Sarahneh’s Ukrainian wife, Irena, had been sentenced to life in prison in 2002 for organizing with her husband a suicide bombing that killed two people in the Israeli city of Rishon Lezion. She was released in 2011 as part of a swap for Gilad Shalit, an Israeli soldier captured by Hamas.
The Aweis brothers
Hassan Aweis, 47, and Abdel Karim Aweis, 54, from the occupied West Bank, were released on Saturday after nearly 23 years in prison.
Hassan Aweis was sentenced to life in 2002 on charges of voluntary manslaughter, planting an explosive device and attempted murder. He was involved in planning attacks during the second intifada for the Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigade.
Abdel Karim Aweis — sentenced to the equivalent of six life sentences for throwing an explosive device, attempted murder and assault, among other charges — was transferred to Egypt.
Iyad Abu Shakhdam, 49
Abu Shakhdam was sentenced to the equivalent of 18 life sentences over his involvement in Hamas attacks that killed dozens of Israelis during the second intifada. They included a suicide bombing that blew up two buses in Beersheba in 2004, killing 16 Israelis, including a 4-year-old.
Abu Shakhdam was arrested in the West Bank in 2004 following a gunfight with Israeli security forces in which he was shot 10 times.
During 21 years in prison, his family said, he finished high school and earned a certificate for psychology courses. He was released on Feb. 8.
Jamal Al-Tawil, 61
Al-Tawil, a prominent Hamas politician in the occupied West Bank, spent nearly two decades in and out of Israeli prisons, in part over allegations that he helped plot suicide bombings.
Most recently, the Israeli military arrested Al-Tawil in 2021, saying he had participated in riots and mobilized Hamas political activists in Ramallah, the seat of the semiautonomous Palestinian Authority, Hamas’ main rival. He was held without charge or trial.
Too weak to walk, Al-Tawil was taken to a hospital after his release in Ramallah on Feb. 8.
Mohammed el-Halabi, 47
The Palestinian manager of the Gaza branch of World Vision, a Christian aid organization, was arrested in 2016 and accused of diverting tens of millions of dollars to Hamas in a case that drew criticism from rights groups. He was freed on Feb. 1.
El-Halabi and World Vision denied the allegations and independent investigations found no proof of wrongdoing.
Zakaria Zubeidi, 49
A prominent militant leader in the Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigade during the second intifada, Zubeidi later became a theater director in the Jenin refugee camp, where he promoted what he described as cultural resistance to Israel.
His jailbreak in 2021 — when he and five others used spoons to tunnel out of one of Israel’s most secure prisons and remained at large for days before being caught — thrilled Palestinians and stunned the Israeli security establishment.
In 2019, after Zubeidi had served years in prison for attacks in the early 2000s, Israel arrested him again, accusing him of being involved in shooting attacks that targeted buses of Israeli settlers but caused no injuries.
Zubeidi had been awaiting trial when he was sentenced to five years in prison for his jailbreak. He was released on Jan. 30 into the West Bank.
Mohammed Odeh, 52, Wael Qassim, 54, and Wissam Abbasi, 48
They hail from east Jerusalem and rose within the ranks of Hamas. Held responsible for deadly attacks during the second intifada, they were handed multiple life sentences in 2002.
They were accused of plotting a suicide bombing at a pool hall near Tel Aviv in 2002 that killed 15 people. Later that year, they were found to have orchestrated a bombing at Hebrew University that killed nine people, including five American students.
All were transferred to Egypt on Jan. 25.
Mohammad Al-Tous, 67
Al-Tous held the title of longest continuously held prisoner in Israel until his release on Jan. 25, Palestinian authorities said.
First arrested in 1985 while fighting Israeli forces along the Jordanian border, the Fatah party activist spent a total of 39 years behind bars. Originally from the West Bank, he was sent into exile.
Who are the Palestinian prisoners released in exchange for Israeli hostages?
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Who are the Palestinian prisoners released in exchange for Israeli hostages?
- Hamas handed over the remains of four hostages overnight without any public display, and Israel released the 600 prisoners
Syria and DP World ink $800 million deal for port development
- Syria is seeking to attract foreign investments to boost its struggling economy
CAIRO: The Syrian government and DP World signed a memorandum of understanding worth $800 million to develop Syria’s port of Tartous, Syrian state news agency SANA said on Friday, after the lifting of USsanctions cleared the way for the deal.
The deal to develop, manage and operate a multi-purpose terminal at Tartous includes cooperation in establishing industrial and free trade zones. DP World is a subsidiary of United Arab Emirates investment company Dubai World.
Syria is seeking to attract foreign investments to boost its struggling economy, and the deal was signed in the same week that US President Donald Trump announced plans to lift of sanctions on Syria during a visit to Riyadh.
Trump said he made the decision to lift sanctions after discussions with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, whose governments have both strongly urged the lifting of sanctions.
Trump had also met with Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa ahead of the GCC summit in Riyadh on Wednesday.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Thursday that Trump intends to issue waivers under the “Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act,” through which Washington imposed stiff sanctions on former President Bashar Assad’s government and secondary sanctions on outside companies or governments that worked with it.
Removing US sanctions that cut Syria off from the global financial system will also clear the way for greater engagement by humanitarian organizations working in Syria, easing foreign investment and trade as the country rebuilds.
Lebanon’s parliament doubles penalty for celebratory gunfire
- Law change follows injuries during municipal election events
BEIRUT: Lebanon’s parliament on Thursday approved an amendment to the law that aims to curb celebratory gunfire by doubling the penalties for those who fire shots into the air.
The new law imposes stricter penalties for individuals involved in actions that have led to numerous injuries and fatalities in recent years.
The action comes after Lebanese Army Command announced the arrest of eight people as part of efforts to identify those who fired gunshots during last Sunday’s municipal elections in the North Lebanon and Akkar governorates.
Army units, with support from a Directorate of Intelligence patrol, raided the homes of several suspects and seized weapons and ammunition they possessed.
The skies over the North and Akkar governorates were illuminated last Sunday night by gunfire, celebrating candidates’ victories in the municipal elections, where local families traditionally compete for seats on the city councils that govern their affairs.
The celebratory gunfire caused injury to a young man, Mohammed Jihad Khaled, from the town of Ain Al-Dahab in Akkar.
He is still fighting for his life after a bullet struck his head.
He remains in a coma after being moved to the intensive care unit of a hospital.
Journalist Nada Andraos was also injured by celebratory gunfire, as a bullet struck her leg after piercing the car she was in while covering the elections with her team from the Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation International.
Andraos, who seemed stunned by the incident — especially since the bullet could have struck her head instead of her leg — commented on social media: “In Lebanon, a stray bullet represents the value of life.”
Victims’ families often file lawsuits in court and with security agencies against unidentified people.
Many offenders escape punishment, leading to repeated tragedies where celebratory gunfire accompanies even minor school achievements.
The law prohibiting the firing of firearms into the air specifies that if such actions lead to a person’s illness or incapacity that causes them to miss work for fewer than 10 days, the offender will face a prison sentence of nine months to three years, in addition to a fine ranging from 10 to 15 times the official minimum wage.
MP Wadah Al-Sadiq said that the amendment had increased the penalty duration.
Previously, the penalty ranged from six months to three years; now it begins at one year in prison and can go up to six years.
The final decision will be made by the judge who issues the ruling.
Information Minister Paul Morcos, an international human rights defender, welcomed the amendment.
It serves as an additional deterrent, moving toward prohibiting such practices and ensuring accountability for perpetrators, he said.
Lawyer Imad Al-Masri, who specializes in criminal cases, said: “Any individual who discharges firearms or fireworks in populated areas or in the presence of a crowd, regardless of whether their firearm is licensed, will face a prison sentence of six months to three years.
“Additionally, they will incur a fine ranging from eight to 15 times the official minimum wage.
“The weapon shall be confiscated in all cases, and the perpetrator shall be referred to the military court for trial.”
Al-Masri said that the military court imposes penalties on individuals who fire bullets into the air, ranging from fines to prison sentences of six months to two years.
A judicial source said that the military court has numerous cases related to firing into the air. These offenses are punishable by law and escalate from a misdemeanor to a felony if the shooting results in casualties.
Al-Masri said: “Increasing the penalty is a deterrent if it is accompanied by strict prior measures and the enforcement of immediate prosecution and, most importantly, changing social behavior regarding this dangerous practice.”
Riots continued for a second day in Roumieh Prison, Lebanon’s largest prison, coinciding with the parliamentary session.
Inmates are demanding the approval of a general amnesty law and a reduction in their imprisonment period.
Tensions ran high among both convicts and detainees, some of whom hung symbolic gallows inside their cells as a form of protest.
Lawyer Rabih Qais, the program manager at the Lebanese Foundation for Permanent Civil Peace and a longtime observer of prison affairs, said: “The law proposal submitted by several MPs addresses the issue of delayed trials for detainees.
“Many of these people have spent years in prison, even though the sentences they might receive if tried could be significantly shorter than the time they have already served.”
Qais said Lebanon “evaluates every decision through the lens of sectarian power-sharing.
“As a result, many of those advocating for amnesty are Islamists and individuals from the Baalbek-Hermel region, many of whom are facing in absentia arrest warrants related to clashes with security forces or drug-related offenses.
“This may explain why the draft amnesty law was sent to parliamentary committees. However, what is truly needed is justice for the oppressed.”
Israeli army kills 5 Palestinians in West Bank shootout as Smotrich calls for razing of towns
- The 'terrorists' were killed in a shootout near the settlement where a pregnant woman was killed earlier
- Shootout came as Israel's hardline minister called for razing of Palestinian towns
JERUSALEM/RAMALLAH: Israel’s military killed five Palestinian militants in the occupied West Bank on Thursday, hours after a pregnant settler was killed in a shooting, as hard-line pro-settler leaders including a government minister called for Palestinian towns to be razed.
The military said in a statement it had killed five “terrorists” and arrested a sixth who had barricaded themselves in a building in Tamoun, following an exchange of gunfire and the use of shoulder-fired missiles by Israeli soldiers.
The military wing of Palestinian militant group Islamic Jihad later issued a statement saying five of its members were killed while clashing with Israeli forces that surrounded their house in the town of Tamoun, north of the West Bank.
Tamoun is a Palestinian town about 35 km (22 miles) from the Israeli settlement of Brukhin, near which the heavily pregnant woman, Tzeela Gez, was killed on Wednesday night in a shooting that drew strong condemnation from Israeli leaders.
The military said it was searching for those responsible for Wednesday’s shooting — whom it did not identify — though it was not immediately clear whether the Tamoun operation was linked.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the shooting, which occurred amid one of the largest Israeli military operations in the West Bank in two decades and while the Israeli military bombards Gaza.
Gunfire could be heard in Tamoun on Thursday, while Reuters footage showed flames and black smoke on the top floor of a house as Israeli soldiers stood on the street outside. The Palestinian WAFA news agency said the Israeli military was demolishing the house where the Palestinian men had been killed.
The Israeli military said soldiers had identified the “terrorists” in a building during an overnight operation in Tamoun and the nearby city of Tubas. It recovered rifles used by the militants in the building in Tamoun, it said.
The military also said that three armed individuals had been arrested in Tubas.
The Palestinian Health Ministry said the military had taken the bodies of four of the deceased. The local Red Crescent said it had recovered a fifth body from a burning building.
Demand for retribution
Gez, the pregnant woman, was shot near the Brukhin settlement while traveling to hospital with her husband to give birth. She was pronounced dead at the hospital where her baby was delivered by caesarean section, Israeli media reported.
The baby was reportedly in serious but stable condition, while Gez’s husband Hananel was lightly injured.
As retribution, Israel’s far-right Finance Minister, Bezalel Smotrich, said the nearby Palestinian towns of Bruqin and az-Zawiya should be destroyed, just as cities in Gaza have been.
“Just as we are flattening Rafah, Khan Younis and Gaza (in the Gaza Strip), we must also flatten the terror nests in Judea and Samaria,” Smotrich said on social media, employing the term often used in Israel for the West Bank.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he hoped security forces would quickly find those responsible for Gez’s death, while President Isaac Herzog expressed his condolences to her family.
The chief of Israel’s general staff, Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, visited the troops searching for Gez’s killer on Thursday near Brukhin.
The Israeli military has killed dozens of Palestinians and destroyed many homes since it launched an operation in January in the West Bank city of Jenin to root out militants.
Those killed have included members of Hamas and other militant groups but also some civilians, including women and children.
Turkiye FM meets Russia delegation in Istanbul
ISTANBUL: Turkiye’s foreign minister was on Thursday meeting with the Russian delegation that is in Istanbul for their first direct peace talks with Ukraine in three years, a ministry source said.
“The meeting between Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and the Russian side, headed by Vladimir Medinsky has started,” the source said of talks taking place at Istanbul’s Dolmabahce Palace.
The talks had been announced earlier in the evening by a foreign ministry spokesman.
Russia and Ukraine had been expected to meet on Thursday in Istanbul for their first direct peace talks in more than three years at the Dolmabahce Palace on the banks of the Bosphorus.
But as the day wore on without any concrete indications of timings, it remained unclear whether the delegations would meet later in the evening or leave it until Friday.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who was in southern Turkish city of Antalya for a NATO summit Thursday, was due in Istanbul on Friday.
He told reporters he would meet Ukraine’s top diplomat, Andriy Sybiga there, while a lower-level US official would meet with the Russian delegation.
The minister was not thought to be part of the Ukrainian delegation to the talks.
Rubio also expressed hope that Turkiye would work to bring the two delegations together.
Earlier on Thursday, Fidan and Rubio held talks on the sidelines of the NATO meeting, with the pair agreeing that “efforts would continue to be made to ensure direct negotiations between the parties,” a source at the Turkish foreign ministry said.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who was in Ankara earlier on Thursday, has sent a pared-down team to the Istanbul talks after Russia showed up with a relatively low-level delegation.
The Ukrainian delegation is headed by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, while the Russian side is being led by Medinsky, a hawkish adviser to Russia’s Vladimir Putin who has questioned Ukraine’s right to exist and led failed talks in 2022 at the start of the war.
ICC says Libya recognizes authority of war crimes, repression probe
UNITED NATIONS: Libya has accepted the authority of the International Criminal Court (ICC) to investigate alleged war crimes in the country despite not being party to the Rome Statute, the court’s founding treaty, ICC chief prosecutor Karim Khan said Thursday.
“I strongly welcome the courage, the leadership and the decision by the Libyan authorities” to recognize the ICC’s jurisdiction over possible war crimes and repression committed since 2011 until the end of 2027, Khan added.
