Egypt's St. Regis Almasa Hotel, where Palestinian prisoners released in hostage deal in January 2-25 are staying. (Marriott International)
The 88 who have been deported so far are enjoying the beautiful St. Regis Almasa Hotel.
By Batya Jerenberg, World Israel News
The Palestinian terrorists who have been deported to Egypt among the hundreds released in exchange for Israeli hostages so far are enjoying luxurious conditions at a Cairo-area hotel, Ynet reported Tuesday.
So far, 88 have entered Egypt at the Rafah Crossing, and from there they were taken to the high-end St. Regis Almasa (Diamond) Hotel in the New Administrative Capital east of Cairo.
Many of the men were serving multiple life sentences in Israel for murdering or being responsible for the murder of innocent civilians in various terror attacks.
They are now enjoying the many amenities provided by the hotel, which belongs to the Marriott International chain. These include a large fitness center, a spa, cafés and restaurants, a sports club, snooker rooms, and even a shooting range and movie theater.
There is a chandelier-bedecked lobby, elegant and carpeted dining rooms, and top-quality accommodations in their private rooms.
The ex-prisoners may be staying in the hotel for a while, as discussions are still being held with several countries about how many each is agreeing to take in; no timetable for their moving on has been set.
“There is no need to rush, especially since the agreement is still in its first stage,” a source told Al-Araby Al-Jadeed.
The men are receiving very good treatment, he noted, including being “allowed to receive their visitors or relatives without any restrictions.”
They are also allowed to come and go as they please, the source said, pushing back on a claim that the men were not permitted to leave the complex.
Countries that have expressed willingness to host the former prisoners include Turkey, Qatar, Algeria, Pakistan, and Malaysia, with Doha taking the lead in the number it is willing to host, according to the Qatari-owned media outlet.
The source said that Turkey is interested in receiving prisoners specifically from Jerusalem and that Egypt itself may be the final destination for some of them instead of just a transit point.
The first batch of 70 prisoners was greeted by a long line of officials, including Hamas chief Khaled Mashal, and representatives of other terror organizations such as Palestinian Islamic Jihad and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine.
Before the reception, Al Qahera News reported, the Egyptians gave them new clothes, including warm jackets, caps, and a kind of scarf to wear around their necks that had a picture of the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Palestinian flag on either side.
Crowds stood outside in a celebratory mood, with cries of “Allahu Akhbar [God is great]” filling the air, Arab media reported.
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