Ramallah/Cairo, Jan 25 (IANS): The Israeli authorities on Saturday released 200 Palestinian prisoners as part of the second phase of a prisoner exchange deal with Hamas.
Abdullah Zaghari, head of the Palestinian Prisoners Club, said the prisoners were handed over to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
Some prisoners were released into the West Bank from Ofer Prison while others bound for Gaza or deportation abroad were released from Negev Prison in southern Israel.
Palestinian officials in the Ramallah Governorate also coordinated the release.
According to eyewitnesses, the prisoners were transferred from the ICRC to a medical centre in Ramallah, where the Palestinian security forces were stationed in preparation for the release.
Among those released, 16 headed to Gaza. Palestinian security sources and eyewitnesses told Xinhua news agency that the prisoners entered Gaza through the Kerem Shalom crossing southeast of the strip.
According to the Palestinian Prisoners' Affairs Authority, the 200 prisoners included 121 who had been serving life sentences and 79 others with long sentences.
Meanwhile, 70 prisoners will be deported abroad. Turkey, Tunisia, and Algeria have agreed to take in some prisoners, while others will stay in Egypt.
An informed Egyptian source said that Egyptian authorities are gearing up to receive the prisoners at the Rafah crossing.
The Palestinian prisoners were released following the earlier release of four Israeli female soldiers previously held in Gaza, who had arrived at Beilinson Hospital in Petah Tikva, near the Israeli city of Tel Aviv, in two helicopters.
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister's Office said in a statement on Saturday that Israel will not allow Palestinian residents to return to their homes in the northern Gaza Strip for the time being.
The statement noted that the ban will apply until the release of Israeli civilian Arbel Yehud, who was scheduled to be freed on Saturday but was not among the four Israelis released by Hamas, is arranged.
Many residents of the northern Gaza Strip were forced to leave their homes during the fighting and moved to temporary places in the south.
They are supposed to return to their homes according to the ceasefire-hostage deal between Israel and Hamas.
The statement mentioned that Yehud's release in the second swap of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners was part of the deal that went into effect last week.