3 Israeli hostages swapped for 90 Palestinians

KABUL (Pajhwok): Israel has released the first batch of 90 Palestinian security prisoners in exchange for three hostages in the West Bank, a media report said on Monday.

A ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement between Israel and Hamas was signed last week with the mediation of the United States, Egypt and Qatar.

On Saturday, the Israeli security cabinet approved the ceasefire deal, which went into effect on Sunday.

According to the Palestinian Authority's Commission for Prisoners' Affairs, Israel released 90 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for three hostages in the West Bank on Sunday.

In the West Bank, the freed Palestinians arrived in a bus to scenes of cheering and celebration, the BBC Pashto reported.

Hundreds of people were there to greet them at the release site, in a traffic circle in a suburb of Ramallah.

Families were bundled up in winter coats and waving Palestinian flags while waiting for hours in the cold.

A total of almost 2,000 inmates are planned to be released during the first phase of the agreement.

More than 47,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks since the beginning of the war in Gaza. Nearly the entire 2.3 million population of Gaza is homeless.

Around 400 Israeli soldiers have also been killed during the period.

kk/mud