Ramallah: The Palestinian Prisoner’s Society (PPS) and The Palestinian Commission for Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs have recently conducted a review of the most significant prisoner exchange operations between Palestinian groups and Israel. This review follows the Israeli government’s approval of a ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip.
According to Palestine News and Information Agency – WAFA, these exchanges began in the Arab world after the Nakba of 1948, preceding the involvement of Palestinian organizations and factions. Numerous exchanges involving Egyptian, Syrian, Iraqi, Jordanian, and Lebanese prisoners have taken place over the years.
The most recent exchange occurred in November 2023, resulting in the release of 240 prisoners by Israel, including 71 female prisoners and 169 children. To date, 40 documented exchanges and deals have been recorded, each with its unique historical context and significance.
The first documented exchange occurred on July 23, 1968, involving the Palestine Liberati
on Organization and the Israeli government after Palestinian fighters hijacked an Israeli El Al plane. The International Red Cross mediated the release of the passengers in exchange for 37 Palestinian prisoners with long sentences.
Subsequent exchanges include the January 28, 1971, operation involving Fatah, which resulted in the release of Mahmoud Bakr Hijazi, the first Palestinian prisoner of the contemporary revolution. Hijazi was exchanged for Israeli soldier Shmuel Fayez, who had been captured by Fatah in 1969.
Another significant exchange, known as “Operation Seagull,” took place on March 14, 1979. The Popular Front – General Command released an Israeli soldier captured during the Litani operation, leading to the release of 76 Palestinian detainees, including 12 women, from Israeli prisons.
On November 23, 1983, an agreement with Fatah resulted in the release of 4,700 Palestinian and Lebanese detainees from the Ansar prison in southern Lebanon, along with 65 prisoners from Israeli prisons, in exchang
e for six Israeli soldiers.
The May 20, 1985, “Operation Galilee” saw Israel release 1,155 prisoners, including those held in occupied Palestinian territories, in exchange for three soldiers held by the Popular Front – General Command.
In a unique exchange on January 10, 2009, Israel released 20 Palestinian female prisoners in return for a video tape showing soldier Gilad Shalit in good health, marking a step towards a larger exchange deal.
The “Wafa al-Ahrar” exchange on October 18, 2011, facilitated by Egyptian sponsorship, resulted in the release of 1,027 prisoners, including 994 men and 33 women, in exchange for Gilad Shalit, who had been held since June 2006. This deal also involved deportations to Gaza and abroad.
The most recent humanitarian truce agreement on November 22, 2023, led to the release of 50 hostages held by Palestinian factions, in exchange for 150 prisoners over four days. The truce extension increased the number of released individuals to 240, including 169 children and 71 women.