As part of the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, hundreds of Palestinian prisoners are set to be released from Israeli prisons in exchange for the remaining Israeli hostages held by Hamas and other Palestinian terror groups in Gaza.
Alongside the over 1,000 Gazans who were detained by the Israeli military during the current war between Israel and Hamas, the Israeli government released a list of over 700 imprisoned Palestinians who will potentially be released as part of this deal.
While the media may focus on those who are imprisoned under the system of administrative detention or the women and teens on the list, it is clear from the information provided by the Israeli government that the vast majority of those slated for release are men with ties to internationally-designated terror groups, some of whom have blood on their hands and are serving long prison sentences.
The following is a breakdown of the 733 Palestinian prisoners listed by the Israeli government according to gender, age, charges, imprisonment status, terror affiliation, and whether they will be exiled to a third country:
Breakdown of Prisoners by Gender
Breakdown of Prisoners by Age
Breakdown of Prisoners by Charges
Violent offenses include murder, attempted murder, possession of weapons, kidnapping, rock-throwing, shooting, production of weapons, and assault.
Non-violent offenses include membership in a terror org, incitement, and breach of probation.
Sentenced Prisoners v Detainees
Breakdown of Prisoners by Terror Affiliation
Fatah includes Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades
Prisoners Remaining in Region v Prisoners Being Exiled to a Third Country
Who Are the Most Dangerous Prisoners on the List?
Among the 733 Palestinian prisoners slated to be released as part of the ceasefire deal are many with Israeli blood on their hands, including terrorist leaders and masterminds.
The following are just some of the most dangerous Palestinian terrorists set to be let go in the coming weeks:
Zakaria Zubeidi
- Served as chief of the Fatah-aligned Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades in Jenin during the Second Intifada.
- Was involved in several terror attacks, including the 2002 bombing of Likud headquarters in Beit Shean, which killed six Israelis.
- Was given amnesty by Israel in 2007 in return for renouncing violence.
- Arrested in 2019 for shooting at two Israeli civilian buses in the West Bank.
- Took part in the 2021 breakout from Gilboa Prison. Was re-arrested a few days later.
Tabat Mardawi
- Senior Islamic Jihad leader from Jenin.
- Responsible for several bombings and shootings during the Second Intifada, including the suicide bombing of Bus #83 in Afula and the suicide attacks on the Binyamina and Hadera central bus stations.
- Serving 21 life sentences and an additional 40 years in prison for his role in the murder of 21 Israelis and the wounding of 190 more.
Ahmed Barghouti
- Senior aide and cousin of notorious Palestinian terrorist and prisoner Marwan Barghouti.
- Served as the head of Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades in Ramallah.
- Orchestrated several bombing and shooting attacks during the Second Intifada, including a shooting spree on Jaffa Street in Jerusalem, a suicide attack at the Maccabim checkpoint, and a shooting attack at a Tel Aviv seafood restaurant.
- Serving 13 life sentences for his role in the murder of 12 Israeli civilians.
Mohammad Abu Warda
- Member of Hamas.
- Serving 48 life sentences for orchestrating the 1996 suicide bombing attacks on the number 18 bus line in Jerusalem, which killed 45 people.
- Described by the military prosecutor as “a mass murderer standing before the court today.”
Mohammed Naifeh
- Member of Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades.
- Serving 13 life sentences for dispatching the terrorists in the 2002 attacks on Kibbutz Metzer and Hermesh, which killed 8 Israelis (including a 34-year-old woman and her two infant children).
- In 2018, was accused of attempting to orchestrate a terror attack from prison.
- Considered to be one of the “most senior Palestinian prisoners in Israel.”
The Silwan Squad
- Three members (Wael Qassem, Wissam Abasi & Muhammad Odeh) of the four-person Hamas cell are slated to be released.
- Orchestrated five terror attacks between March and June 2022, including the suicide attacks on Café Moment in Jerusalem, the Sheffield Club in Rishon Letzion, and Hebrew University in Jerusalem.
- Serving multiple life sentences for the murder of 35 people (including four Americans) and the wounding of hundreds more.
Mahmoud Attallah
- Member of Fatah.
- Serving one life sentence and 15 years for the 2003 murder of a Palestinian woman suspected of collaborating with Israeli security forces.
- Accused of the rape and sexual abuse of female Israeli prison guards while incarcerated at Gilboa Prison.
Mahmoud Atallah-
Murdered a Palestinian woman because she was suspected of collaborating with Israel
Accused of rape and sexual harassment of 6 female guards pic.twitter.com/yyhPETxXCr— Adin – عدین – עדין (@AdinHaykin1) January 18, 2025
Ahmad Obeid
- Head of Hamas terror cell in Jerusalem.
- Dispatched the suicide bomber who blew up Café Hillel in Jerusalem, killing seven people and wounding 64 more.
- Serving 7 life sentences.
Sami Jaradat
- Islamic Jihad operative from Jenin.
- Dispatched the suicide bomber (who happened to be his close relative) who blew up Maxim Restaurant in Haifa, killing 21 people and wounding 60 more.
- Serving 21 life sentences and 50 more years of imprisonment.
Abdullah Sharbati, Majdi Zaatari & Samer al-Atrash
- Members of a Hamas terror cell based in Jerusalem.
- Orchestrated the suicide bombing attacks on Jerusalem bus #2 (which killed 23 people, including 7 children), Jerusalem bus #14, and Jerusalem bus #6.
- Planned future terror attacks, including a suicide bombing of a banquet hall, the kidnapping of IDF soldiers, and the mass-poisoning of a Beit Shemesh delicatessen’s food supply.
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Photo Credits:
– Abed Rahim Khatib via Flash90
– IDF Spokesperson’s Unit
