The Justice Ministry published a list of 735 terrorists who will be released as part of the Israeli government-approved hostage deal early on Saturday morning.
Among those to be released is Zakaria Zubeidi, a former commander of Fatah's Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades in Jenin who was on Israel’s most-wanted list for several years, having taken responsibility for a 2002 attack that killed six people. Zubeidi was one of six prisoners who escaped in the 2021 high-security Gilboa Prison break.
Another set for release is Mahmoud Atallah, serving a life sentence plus 15 years for murdering a Palestinian woman accused of collaborating with Israel. Atallah was also indicted in September for the rape of a female prison guard in the “prison pimping” case.
Other names include Ahmed Barghouti, a close aide to and relative of Marwan Barghouti, who is serving 13 life sentences. Arrested alongside Marwan in Ramallah in 2002, Ahmed was responsible for supplying weapons to the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, where he served as their operational commander.
Barghouti was convicted for orchestrating several deadly attacks, mostly in early 2002, including the bombing at Tel Aviv’s Seafood Market restaurant that killed three Israelis and wounded 30, an attack in Jerusalem’s Neve Yaakov neighborhood that killed a policewoman and wounded nine people, a shooting attack during a bat mitzvah celebration at a banquet hall in Hadera in which six Israelis were killed and 26 were injured, and a bombing on Jaffa Street in Jerusalem that killed two women.
Wael Qassem and Wisam Abbasi, members of the Hamas “Silwan Cell,” will also be released. They were responsible for attacks that caused dozens of casualties, including bombings at Café Moment in Jerusalem, the Sheffield Club in Rishon Lezion, and the Frank Sinatra cafeteria at Hebrew University in the early 2000s.
The Justice Ministry also added that the first installment of prisoners will not be released before 4 p.m. on Sunday.
Doubts about releasing prisoners
During the cabinet meeting, several ministers raised concerns about the agreement.
While stressing the importance of securing the hostages’ release, they warned of the risks associated with releasing a large number of prisoners.
Some ministers reviewing the list expressed alarm over the inclusion of senior terrorists responsible for multiple attacks. They also feared that the deal might set a precedent, forcing Israel to release all remaining terrorists serving life sentences in future negotiations.
The National Security Council attached an opinion to the decision, acknowledging the complexity of the agreement.
“The decision to release security prisoners and other detainees, including those who committed heinous crimes, as part of a framework to secure hostages, is extraordinarily difficult,” the NSC wrote. “The government must weigh ‘pain against pain.’ The profound and genuine pain of families harmed by the listed prisoners contrasts with the fear for the lives of the hostages and the daily suffering of their families.”