Defense
Minister Ehud Barak approved on Sunday afternoon details for the secure transfer
of Palestinian prisoners in exchange for kidnapped
tank gunner Gilad Schalit.
Barak met with IDF Chief of General
Staff Lt.-Gen. Benny Gantz, operational branch head Maj.-Gen. Ya'akov
Ayash, head of the IDF personnel directorate, Maj.-Gen. Orna Barbibay, and
other defense officials to discuss security preparations for the
prisoner transfer, which is expected to occur on Tuesday.
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"Gilad
Schalit will return to his country and family after he was held by Hamas
for more than five years," Barak said, adding "His return will be done
modestly to ensure [we do] all that is needed for the soldier and his
family." The Israel Police completed preparations earlier Sunday for assisting the Israel Prison Service (IPS) in its complex operation to transport security prisoners slated for release as part of the exchange deal with Hamas.
Police are escorting IPS convoys and securing them, while also safeguarding public order. "This is a complex and sensitive operation," Insp.-Gen. Yochanan Danino said at the end of an evaluation meeting.
The IPS began transferring
Palestinian prisoners set to be released in the
Gilad Schalit exchange
deal to two prisons for processing on Sunday morning.
The 477 prisoners scheduled
to be released in the first part of the deal, spread over 11 prisons
around the country, will be consolidated into two prisons throughout the
day: Ktziot Prison for male prisoners and Sharon Prison for female
prisoners.
The first bus containing female prisoners departed
from the Damon Prison in the Carmel and arrived at the Sharon Prison on Sunday
morning. The bus was accompanied by riot police, and traffic was closed in both directions along segments of the route.
At
the consolidation prisons, the prisoners will undergo medical
examinations and identification procedures in preparation for their
release.
