A closer look at the Palestinian terrorists freed By Israel
Israel has released 369 imprisoned Palestinian terrorists on Saturday in exchange for hostages Sasha Trufanov, Sagui Dekel-Chen and Yair Horn.
Imprisoned Palestinian terrorists shortly before their release on Feb. 15, 2025. The shirts feature the logo of the Israeli Prison Service, a Star of David and a sentence in Arabic saying, “We will not forget or forgive.” Photo by Israeli Prison Service/TPS-IL
The list includes 36 terrorists serving life sentences for murder and 333 Palestinians from Gaza who were detained during the war.
In response to Hamas dressing the hostages in prison uniforms and giving them farewell “gifts,” the Israel Prison Service dressed the imprisoned terrorists in shirts featuring the logo of the Israeli Prison Service, a Jewish star, and the phrase written in Arabic, “We will not forgive or forget.”
They were also shown a video showing Gaza’s destruction.
The 333 Palestinians from Gaza were sent back to the Strip. Of the other 36 terrorists, 25 were deported to Gaza or abroad through Egypt, 10 returned to their homes in Judea and Samaria, and one went home to eastern Jerusalem.
Here is a closer look at some of the more notable terrorists who were freed on Saturday.
Abdel Karim Aweis: A former intelligence officer in the Palestinian Authority Security Services who was also a commander in Fatah’s Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades. Aweis was serving multiple life sentences for organizing shooting attacks and dispatching suicide bombers during the Second Intifada. He is being deported abroad via Egypt.
Ahmed Barghouti: A senior Fatah figure and commander in the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades serving 13 life sentences for organizing and dispatching suicide bombers to Jerusalem in which 12 Israelis were killed and dozens more injured during the Second Intifada. Barghouti, 48, will be deported abroad via Egypt.
Ahmed Abu Hader: Was serving multiple life sentences for a shooting attack at an event hall that killed six people. He was also plotting an attack on a hospital in Ramat Gan.
Shadi Abu Shakhdam: of Fatah’s Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades was serving six life sentences for planning a 2002 bombing at Jerusalem’s Mahane Yehuda Market, in which 12 people were killed and 80 injured.
The ongoing first phase of the ceasefire is supposed to see a total of 33 Israeli hostages freed over six weeks in exchange for up to 1,904 Palestinian terrorists imprisoned in Israel. The exact number will depend on how Israeli captives are alive. Hamas notified Israeli authorities in January that of the 33, eight are dead but offered no evidence.
Since the first hostage release on Jan. 19, Hamas has freed 19 Israeli and five Thai captives in exchange for 952 imprisoned Palestinian terrorists.
The fate of the remaining 65 hostages will be determined by negotiations during the ceasefire’s second phase. Critics say the phased approach condemns these 65 hostages to open-ended captivity and undermines Israel’s war gains.
At least 1,200 people were killed, and 252 Israelis and foreigners were taken hostage in Hamas’s attacks on Israeli communities near the Gaza border on October 7. Of the 70 remaining hostages, more than 30 are believed to be dead.
I don’t agree with the Israeli prison authorities dressing the prisoners in these shirts. We should preserve our own special dignity and professionalism as Jews in the way we behave, not play the Hamas game. We can show calm disdain, contempt, for that’s what they deserve. Showing them the film of Gaza as it is is fine, but not this. Already the media have cottoned on to it and report it as tit for tat; they say, ‘Look, the Israelis are doing it, too.’ And what does that do? Deflects the issue of Hamas humiliation and treatment of the hostages and takes the focus right off it. Not smart.