Palestinians in the West Bank await the release of prisoners after a ceasefire agreement

The families of 90 Palestinian prisoners wait anxiously in the occupied West Bank to be released from Israeli prisons as part of a ceasefire and hostage release deal in Gaza.

Hundreds of people gathered in a town square in Beituniya, about one mile (1.6 km) up the road from Israel’s Ofer prison, waving Palestinian flags and chanting.

In an atmosphere of excitement and nervous anticipation, Diyash Dara was waiting for her sister Khadil.

The 32-year-old university administrator has been held without charge for seven months.

“I’m happy, I think, a little embarrassed by what happened in Gaza,” Diaz told the BBC.

“The most important thing is that they stopped the war in Gaza. Even if she wasn’t released today, we (would) be okay with that. But at least the war is over.”

Most of the 90 Palestinian prisoners expected to be released on Sunday are women, and some are children.

There will be more anxious days in the next six weeks.

About 1,900 Palestinian prisoners and detainees from Gaza are to be freed in the first phase of the deal in exchange for 33 Israeli hostages, including three women, freed by Hamas in Gaza on Sunday afternoon.

One of the most prominent prisoners is Zakaria Zubaidi, the former leader of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades armed group in the northern West Bank city of Jenin.

The 49-year-old man has served time in both Israeli and Palestinian prisons for numerous crimes, including murder.

He said he carried out a shooting in 2002 that killed six Israelis.

Zubaidi was also in the news in 2021 when he broke out of an Israeli prison before being recaptured five days later.