Israel on Monday freed 198 Palestinian prisoners from its jails as a goodwill gesture to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Palestinian officials and witnesses said.
Local and Arab Television stations showed on Monday morning that the buses, full of prisoners released from Israeli jails, waiting at an Israeli checkpoint near the West Bank city of Ramallah.
The freed prisoners were received by Minister of Prisoners' Affairs in the caretaker Palestinian government Ashraf el-Ajrami and other officials. El-Ajrami was seen shaking hands and hugging senior prisoners among the 198 freed prisoners.
The freed prisoners include Sa'eed el-Ataba who spent 32 years in Israeli jails, Abu Ali Yatta who spent 28 years in Israeli prisons and Husam Khader, a prominent Fatah leader and former legislator.
The buses are scheduled to leave soon for al-Muqata'a, the headquarters of the Palestinian Authority (PA) in Ramallah.
President Mahmoud Abbas and other PA officials will be receiving the prisoners at al-Muqata'a. A reception ceremony will be held there and Abbas would address the prisoners.
Source:Xinhua
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