Palestinians in the West Bank await the release of prisoners after a ceasefire agreement

The families of 90 Palestinian prisoners are waiting impatiently in the occupied West Bank to be released from Israeli jails as part of a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal.

Hundreds gathered in a town square in Beitunia, about a mile (1.6 km) up the road from Israel’s Ofer prison, waving Palestinian flags and chanting.

Amidst the atmosphere of excitement and nervous anticipation, Diash Dara was waiting for her sister Hadil.

A 32-year-old university administrative employee was detained without charge for seven months.

“I’m happy, I think, a bit confused about what happened in Gaza,” Diash told the BBC.

“The most important thing is that they stopped the war in Gaza. Even if it wasn’t released today, we [would] be okay with that. But at least the war is over.”

Most of the 90 Palestinian prisoners expected to be released on Sunday are women, as are a number of children.

There will be more anxious days over the next six weeks.

About 1,900 Palestinian prisoners and detainees from Gaza are to be freed in the first phase of the deal in exchange for 33 Israeli hostages, including three women freed by Hamas in Gaza on Sunday afternoon.

One of the most prominent prisoners is Zakaria Zubaidi, the former leader of the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades armed group in the northern West Bank city of Jenin.

The 49-year-old has served time in Israeli and Palestinian prisons for multiple crimes, including murder.

He said he carried out an attack in 2002 that killed six Israelis.

Zubaidi was also in the news in 2021, when he tunneled out of an Israeli prison before being recaptured after five days.