Security prisoners hold off on celebrating early releases

Prison Service finalizes preparations to bus the prisoners in heavily-guarded convoys to release points in Rafah, West Bank.

By YAAKOV LAPPIN
Palestinian prisoners on a bus before release [file] 311 (R) (photo credit: Yannis Behrakis / Reuters)
Palestinian prisoners on a bus before release [file] 311 (R)
(photo credit: Yannis Behrakis / Reuters)
Hundreds of Palestinian security prisoners set to be released on Tuesday refrained from launching celebrations while still in Israeli custody, a Prisons Service source said.
“They aren’t celebrating in front of us. We’ve seen no jubilation in the jails,” the source said.
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Male prisoners are being kept at the Ktziot facility in the south and female prisoners are at the Sharon prison, ahead of their imminent release.
It was too soon to identify which of the approximately 4,000 remaining Palestinian prisoners will take up leadership roles in the jails, the source said.
“We have another 550 security prisoners to release. We haven’t received the list [from the government] yet,” the source added.
Throughout Monday night, the Prisons Service finalized preparations to bus the prisoners in heavily-guarded convoys to release points in Rafah and the West Bank.
After receiving the military’s green light, the convoys will head out early on Tuesday under guard by the Prison Service’s Nachson Unit.
Thirty seven female prisoners held in the Sharon prison will be sent to the Ofer prison, from where they will be released to the West Bank.
Ninety six male prisoners being held in the Ktziot facility in the south will be bused to the Ofer prison in the West Bank. Six male prisoners will be released to their homes in Israel. Three will be released from the Megido prison, two from the Ayalon prison, and one from the Katzrin jail in the Golan.
The remainder of the male and female prisoners will board a southbound bus convoy to the Kerem Hashalom border crossing, where they will be transferred to Egyptian custody.
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