Ninety Palestinian prisoners, including 69 women and 21 minors, were released from Israeli prisons early Monday in the first prisoner exchange under the Hamas-Israel ceasefire.
Thousands gathered in Ramallah, West Bank, to celebrate their return despite Israeli warnings against public festivities.
Red Cross buses carrying the freed prisoners arrived at 1 a.m. local time, greeted by relatives and supporters waving flags of various Palestinian factions.
Emotional scenes unfolded as the prisoners were hoisted onto shoulders, cheered on by the crowd.

Among the released was Khalida Jarrar, 62, a prominent activist held for six months without trial under administrative detention. Journalist Bushra al-Tawil, detained in March 2024, expressed relief and hope, saying, “We were certain that at any moment we would be released.” She also shared optimism about her father’s impending release under the same deal.
The exchange also saw the release of three Israeli women held in Gaza. Over the next 42 days, Hamas is expected to release 33 more captives, while the exact number of Palestinians to be freed remains uncertain.
This operation marks the first such exchange since November 2023, amid a devastating conflict that has killed over 46,000 Palestinians and displaced nearly 90% of Gaza’s population.