Terrorist who planned bus bombing that killed 17 people is freed to Palestinian Authority-controlled enclave in Judea and Samaria.
By World Israel News Staff
Three Israeli hostages held in the Gaza Strip for more than 15 months were freed by the Hamas terror group on Saturday in exchange for the release of 183 Palestinian prisoners from Israeli detention facilities.
Keith Siegel, Ofer Calderon, and Yarden Bibas were returned to Israel, reuniting with their families and receiving medical care at local hospitals.
Hours later, Israel deported some 150 prisoners, who had been serving life sentences or decades-long sentences for terror, to the Gaza Strip.
All but seven of the men sent to the coastal enclave are originally from the territory.
Thirty-two prisoners were released to Palestinian Authority-controlled areas in Judea and Samaria. One man, an Egyptian national, was deported to Egypt.
Among the released were several terrorists responsible for the murders of dozens of civilians during the Second Intifada.
Those freed included Shadi Amori, the mastermind behind the 2002 Megiddo Junction bus bombing, which killed 17 people.
Another terrorist who was released is Fatah terrorist Ahmed Aslam, who shot married couple Avi and Avital Wolanski to death in 2002. The couple’s three-year-old child was wounded in the attack.
Ashraf Abu Sror, who fatally shot IDF soldier Shahar Vekret near Rachel’s Tomb in Bethlehem in 2000, was also freed.
Since the beginning of the ceasefire in mid-January, Israel has released 583 Palestinian terrorists.
If phase one of the ceasefire continues until its completion, Israel will have released nearly 2,000 prisoners in exchange for 33 living and deceased hostages.
Former Israeli Navy commander Maj.-Gen. Eliezer “Chayni” Marom recently told Hebrew-language media that he believed the government was not being transparent with the Israeli public about the true cost of the deal.
“What’s in this agreement that we haven’t been told? Hamas is acting like they got far more than what’s been made public, and that deeply concerns me,” he told Radio103FM.
Marom admitted that he had not been party to the negotiations but said he was suspicious that the agreement may include a concession allowing Hamas to remain in power.
