JERUSALEM, Jan. 18 (Xinhua) -- The Israeli Ministry of Justice on Saturday released the list of 735 Palestinian prisoners set to be released in the first phase of the ceasefire deal with Hamas.
This initial phase, set to commence on Sunday and span 42 days, will see Israel gradually release the prisoners as well as 1,167 residents detained from Gaza. In return, Hamas is expected to release 33 Israeli hostages currently held in Gaza.
Israel said that many of the prisoners on the list were convicted of murder, such as Ahmed Barghouti, who was serving 13 life terms for the murder of 12 Israelis, and Majdi Zaatari, sentenced to 23 life terms plus 50 years for facilitating a 2003 suicide bombing in Jerusalem that killed 23 people.
Also slated for release is senior Hamas member Salim Hajja, who was serving 16 life terms for involving in a suicide bus attack in Haifa in 2001, in which 15 people were killed, and Mohammed Naifa, a senior militant in the Tanzim militant faction, who was convicted of murdering 13 Israelis and sentenced to 13 life terms.
The list also includes Zakaria Zubeidi, commander of Fatah's Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades in Jenin, West Bank.
Israeli citizens, particularly victims' families, are allowed to petition the High Court of Justice to challenge the release of specific prisoners. ■
