Israel’s Justice Ministry on Friday released a list of 250 Palestinian prisoners to be freed as part of a ceasefire and hostage exchange agreement with Hamas.
The list, however, excludes several senior militant leaders long demanded by Hamas, including Marwan Barghouti, Ahmad Saadat, Hassan Salameh, and Abbas al-Sayyed — figures serving life sentences and seen by many Palestinians as symbols of resistance.
Barghouti, often referred to by supporters as the “Palestinian Mandela,” was convicted in 2004 on murder charges and remains one of the most prominent figures in Israeli prisons.
The exchange is the first phase of a broader 20-point ceasefire plan proposed by U.S. President Donald Trump, aimed at easing tensions after years of conflict. Under the deal, Israel will release the 250 named prisoners and approximately 1,700 Gazans detained since the war began following Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack.
In return, Hamas will free 47 hostages still held in Gaza from the 251 abducted during the attack, while also returning the remains of one hostage believed to have been held since 2014.
The agreement marks a cautious but significant step toward ending the prolonged violence between Israel and Hamas.
