In the early hours of Monday at 2 am, two buses transporting Palestinian prisoners, released as part of the Gaza ceasefire agreement, navigated slowly through a dense gathering as they finally arrived in the West Bank.
As the doors swung open, relatives embraced one another, tears of happiness flowing freely, while large crowds cheered, waved flags, and climbed onto the buses. Others set off fireworks in the usually tranquil neighborhood of Baytunya.
Bushra al-Tawil, a Palestinian journalist incarcerated in Israel since March 2024, was among the first prisoners freed in the ceasefire negotiation.
In the following 42 days, approximately 1,900 Palestinians are set to be released in return for 33 Israeli hostages being held by Hamas in Gaza.
Tawil’s journey began at 3 am the prior day when she was moved from her prison to one closer to the separation barrier. There, she joined other detainees awaiting their transfer.
“The waiting was incredibly tough. But thank God, we were sure that our release could happen at any moment,” she stated.
Tawil found out about her release from fellow inmates who had attended a hearing.
“The lawyers informed them that the (ceasefire) agreement had been disclosed and was in the process of being executed,” said Tawil, whose father is also imprisoned in Israel.
“I was anxious about him. He is still detained, but I just received wonderful news that he will be freed as part of this agreement.”
A mass of hundreds of Palestinians gathered around Tawil and the 89 other individuals being liberated in exchange for three Israeli hostages taken in Gaza since October 7, 2023.
Many people had amassed earlier on a hill in Beitunia, eager for a view of Israel’s Ofer prison, from where the prisoners were being emancipated.
“We arrived to witness this moment and share in the emotions, just as the families of the prisoners being freed do today,” said Amanda Abu Sharkh, 23, from the nearby city of Ramallah.
‘They feel like family’
“All the detainees released today feel like kin to us. They are part of our community, even if they are not blood relatives,” she shared with AFP.
As darkness enveloped and the waiting persisted through the chill, dozens of small fires flickered to life on the rocky hill.
The excitement surged upon hearing that the three Israeli hostages had been freed.
Muhammad, 20, mentioned that he rushed from Ramallah with his friends as soon as he caught wind of the news.
Recently released from Ofer prison himself, he expressed “immense delight” at the thought of families reuniting.
“I know many individuals in jail; there are innocent people, children, and women among them,” he remarked.
The prisoners designated for release during the initial 42-day ceasefire period include numerous individuals detained without formal charges under administrative detention.
Others are serving life sentences for actions that resulted in Israeli casualties.
Further along in Beitunia, even larger crowds assembled at the roundabout where the prisoners were ultimately dropped off, brandishing Palestinian and Hamas flags, chanting slogans, and flooding the streets in anticipation.
‘There will be lots of crying’
An 18-year-old woman could hardly contain her elation while awaiting her mother’s release.
“I’ll embrace her right away – of course, I’ll embrace her. Initially, it’ll just be tears of happiness,” she said.
“Then, she will narrate her experiences in prison, and we will share what our lives were like without her. I’m positive there will be plenty of tears,” she expressed, standing alongside her brother, sister, and aunt.
