15 Palestinian Prisoners Freed Under Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Arrive in Turkey

15 Palestinian Prisoners Freed Under Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Arrive in Turkey

Fifteen Palestinian prisoners, who were freed under the Israel-Hamas ceasefire, arrived in Turkey on Tuesday. These prisoners were initially sent to Egypt before reaching Turkey. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and the Hamas prisoners' media office confirmed this information.

Fidan stated, "We believe that regional countries should play a role in this matter. Egypt and Qatar can assist in this regard."

These prisoners are the first to be sent to a country outside of Egypt under the ceasefire agreement. According to the terms of the agreement, those convicted by Israel of violent attacks are not allowed to return to the Palestinian territories. Palestinians consider those imprisoned by Israel as heroes of resistance.

Fidan added, "Some 'Zionist circles' have criticized our decision, but Turkey is taking steps to end the humanitarian crisis in Gaza."

In the first phase of the ceasefire in Gaza, Hamas released 18 hostages, and Israel freed 583 Palestinian prisoners, of whom at least 79 were sent to Egypt. Besides Turkey, some prisoners may be sent to Algeria or Qatar, according to Hamas sources.

This ceasefire agreement began after a Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023, which resulted in the death of 1,200 Israelis and the capture of 250 people. Israeli military operations have killed over 47,000 Palestinians, leaving Gaza devastated.