Hundreds of freed Palestinian prisoners and detainees have been welcomed with tears and screams of joy as they were released by Israel to be reunited with their families in Gaza and the occupied West Bank.
The release involved about 250 prisoners who had been convicted of crimes including murder and deadly attacks against Israelis - and about 1,700 detainees from Gaza who had been held by Israel without charge.
As prisoners exited a Red Cross bus in Ramallah, many draped in traditional Keffiyeh scarves, they looked pale and gaunt, with some struggling to walk.
They were freed as part of an exchange in which 20 Israeli hostages and the remains of four deceased hostages were released by Hamas.
He is ready to embrace freedom, said Amro Abdullah, 24, who was waiting for his cousin Rashid Omar, 48, who was arrested in July 2005 and sentenced to life in prison by an Israeli court. I want peace, Mr. Abdullah added. I want to live a happy life, safe and peaceful, without occupation and without restrictions.
It is thought about 100 prisoners were released into the West Bank, with many others set to be deported and a small number freed into East Jerusalem.
In Gaza, families gathered at Nasser Hospital hoping for reunification. This is a very beautiful feeling - happy, a day of joy, said Muhammad Hasan Saeed Dawood, 50. Families expressed mixed emotions of joy and sorrow over the complex realities of their circumstances.
While families celebrated, many highlighted the suffering endured by detainees during their imprisonment. Reports indicated a lack of adequate food and claims of mistreatment were mentioned by family members and observers.
The prisoner release has arisen from an ongoing phase of diplomatic negotiations surrounding the recent hostilities and reflects deeper implications for the peace process in the region.
