Red Cross buses carrying hundreds of Palestinians detained by Israel arrived in Gaza early Thursday, part of the final release of 642 Palestinian prisoners and detainees under a ceasefire and hostage deal in effect since January.
They include 445 men, 44 children and 2 women detained since October 7, 2023, and 11 people who had been detained prior to the Hamas attack on Southern Israel, according to the Palestinian Prisoners Media Office in Gaza.
Palestinians wearing light grey uniforms disembarked from the buses outside of the European Hospital in the southern city of Khan Younis to be reunited with their families.
Crowds of journalists and residents watched as what sounded like celebratory gunfire could be heard in the background.
The releases came after Hamas handed over four bodies believed to be those of four Israeli hostages captured on October 7.
