Release of Palestinians Includes a 14-Year-Old Boy and a Freelance Reporter

Israel released 30 Palestinian prisoners on Tuesday night as part of the truce agreement with Hamas, according to a spokesman for Qatar's foreign ministry. This group includes 15 minors and 15 women, and among them are Marwat al-Azza, a freelance journalist who previously worked with NBC, and a 14-year-old boy. In return, Hamas released 10 Israeli hostages and two foreign hostages in Gaza. The prisoners were released from Ofer prison in the occupied West Bank and the Jerusalem Detention Center. This release comes on the fifth day of the truce between Israel and Hamas, following a 48-hour extension that was agreed upon the previous day. Al-Azza was arrested for inciting terrorism and supporting a terrorist organization through her social media posts about Hamas's attack on October 7. NBC cut ties with her after her arrest. Another prisoner released was 14-year-old Ahmed Salayme, who was arrested for throwing stones in East Jerusalem. In an interview, Salayme mentioned that there were beatings by Israeli prison officers on the day the war began. He also mentioned that he was not allowed to celebrate his release and could be taken back if he broke any rules. His mother expressed fear that he could be rearrested at any time. Palestinians were seen cheering outside Ofer prison as the prisoners were driven past on buses marked with the International Red Cross sign. Israeli national security minister Itamar Ben Gvir banned Palestinians from expressing joy, stating that such expressions support terrorism. Since Friday, a total of 180 Palestinians, mostly women and teenage boys, have been released as part of the truce. These individuals had been accused of various offenses, but only a small fraction had been convicted, with the majority being held while awaiting trial. As part of the truce terms, three Palestinians are being released for each Israeli hostage returned from Gaza.