The first phase of a ceasefire agreement that goes into effect on Sunday will see 33 Israeli hostages freed in exchange for hundreds of imprisoned Arab terrorists. Israel released a list of 735 prisoners on Saturday to give families of their victims a short amount of time to file legal petitions. Here is a look at some of the more notable figures on the list:
— Mohammed Abu Warda: A Hamas member who sent suicide bombers to blow themselves up on Jerusalem buses in attacks that killed 45 people. Warda was sentenced to 48 life sentences.
— Wael Qassem, Wassam Abbasi, and Mohammed Odeh: Members of a Hamas terror cell responsible for bombings that killed 35 people, including a Hebrew University cafeteria, Rishon LeZion’s Shefayim Club and a Jerusalem cafe.
— Thabet Mardawi: A Palestinian Islamic Jihad commander serving 21 life terms plus 40 years for organizing suicide bombings in Hadera, Afula, Binyamina and Kiryat Motzkin, shooting attacks, and a car bombing. His attacks during the Second Intifada killed 20 people and injured around 150 more.
— Omar al-Zaben: A Hamas commander serving 27 life sentences for attacks that killed 27 Israelis.
— Abdullah Sharbati, Majdi Zaatari, and Samer al-Atrash: Members of a cell who masterminded a 2003 suicide bombing that killed 23 people in Jerusalem, including seven children.
— Ahmad Barghouti: sentenced to 13 life terms for ordering attacks that killed 12 Israelis during the Second Intifada. Ahmad is a cousin of Marwan Barghouti, the highest profile terrorist who is expected to be deported a later stage.
— Sami Jaradat: A Palestinian Islamic Jihad commander from the Jenin area involved in the 2003 bombing of a Haifa restaurant that killed 21 people.
— Mohammed Naifeh: Planned attacks on Hermesh and Kibbutz Meter in which 8 Israelis were murdered.
— Zakariya Zubeidi: A former Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades commander in Jenin, responsible for multiple terror attacks. Six people were killed when terrorists ordered by Zubeidi attacked a Likud branch building in Beit Shean with guns and grenades as party members were voting in a primary in 2002. Zubeidi was one of six Gilboa Prison escapees in 2021.
— Mohammed Amoudi: Sent a suicide bomber to Tel Aviv who killed 11 people at a foodstand in 2006.
— Ramadan Mashahra: Was involved in the 2002 suicide bombing aboard a bus in Jerusalem that killed 19 people.
— Shadi Amouri: A member of Palestinian Islamic Jihad who helped plan a 2002 car bombing that killed 17 people at the Megiddo Junction.
— Ali Safuri: A senior Palestinian Islamic Jihad figure involved in multiple terror attacks which killed 9 people and injured more than 100.
The final number of the terrorists to be released in the deal will depend on how many of the 33 hostages are alive.
The most contentious aspect of the agreement is that the fate of the remaining 65 hostages will be determined by negotiations to begin on the 16th day of the ceasefire. Critics say the phased approach condemns hostages not freed in the beginning 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 95 remaining hostages, more than 30 have been declared dead.
