Mr. Zubeidi, who was also once a theater director, stunned Israelis and Palestinians alike when he and others broke out of jail in 2021.

KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip (AP) — Hamas freed eight hostages on Thursday as part of the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, but the chaotic handover of some of the captives, who were shuttled through a rowdy crowd of thousands by masked militants, drew an angry protest from Israel.

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In Ramallah hundreds greet Zubeidi, who organized dozens of attacks during the Second Intifada; 66 prisonerrs sent to West Bank, 14 to East Jerusalem, 9 to Gaza and 21 exiled The post Zakaria Zubeidi among terrorists to get heroes’ welcome as Israel frees 110 prisoners appeared first on The Times of Israel.

Zakaria Zubeidi, A prominent leader of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, the military wing of the Palestinian National Liberation Movement (Fatah), and a former member of Fatah’s Revolutionary Council, was released Thursday as part of the Gaza ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas.

Hamas has released Israeli soldier Agam Berger to the Red Cross in Gaza, marking the first of eight hostages set to be freed as part of an ongoing ceasefire between Israel and the group. Berger, 20, was among five female soldiers abducted during Hamas ' October 7 attack, with the others freed days earlier.

The Israeli leader pointed to the last-minute treatment of the seven hostages as ‘yet another proof of the unimaginable cruelty’ of Hamas.

Zakaria Zubeidi, a former leader of the al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades, was released as part of the Gaza ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas. Zubeidi,

Zakaria Zubeidi, whose mother and brother were killed by Israeli troops, is a symbol of resistance to some Palestinians. A man who generates extraordinarily varied responses, he was mobbed by supporters on his release from prison.

Hamas freed three Israeli and five Thai hostages in Gaza on Thursday and Israel began releasing 110 Palestinian prisoners after delaying the process in anger at the swarming crowds at one of the hostage handover points.

Hamas-led militants freed eight hostages on Thursday in the latest release since a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip took hold earlier this month. Israel was expected to release another 110 Palestinian prisoners.

As part of the swap, Palestinian militants in Gaza freed five Thai and three Israeli hostages, handing them over to the Red Cross amid chaotic crowds.