Palestinian prisoners freed Tuesday in a prisoner exchange for abducted Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit crossed into the West Bank and Gaza, where large crowds and dignitaries greeted them in ecstatic celebration.
The prisoners were met by Hamas leaders and by their families, who were to accompany them to Gaza City, where official celebrations for their release were to take place.
The buses with the prisoners had earlier left Israel for Egypt, as Gilad Shalit, an Israeli soldier held captive for five years by Hamas, left the Gaza Strip for Israel, as part of the exchange deal.
Hamas was expecting a turnout of 500,000 people at a rally in Gaza City later Tuesday, to welcome home the prisoners. Tens of thousands were already amassing as the prisoners arrived.
Preparations for carrying out the deal were felt in almost every inch of the Gaza Strip Monday night. Dozens of members of the Hamas military force spread down Salah a-Din Street, which leads from the Rafah crossing to Gaza to secure the convoy of buses transporting the released prisoners to the central rally in the middle of Gaza City.
In Gaza, prisoners embraced and shook hands with Hamas leaders at the Rafah border crossing. Some prisoners were carried on the shoulders of others. Palestinian dignitaries formed a reception line, like at a wedding, shaking hands and in some cases hugging the prisoners.
In the West Bank city of Ramallah, the 133 released prisoners were grPresident Mahmoud Abbas and Hamas’ top leader in the territory, Hassan Yousef.
In a highly unusual joint appearance – unusual because just months ago the two factions were engaged in politcal and, at times, armed disputes – the two men spoke together on a stage in the Palestinian Authority headquarters, where thousand people filled the courtyard outside to celebrate.
"We thank God for your return and your safety," Abbas said, greeting the prisoners. "You are freedom fighters and holy warriors for the sake of God and the homeland." He also said that Israel had promised him to free more prisoners following the two-stage swap. It was the first mention of such a release.
"We hope soon to see [Marwan] Barghouti and [Ahmed] Saadat, as well as every prisoner freed," Abbas told the thousands of cheering supporters and relatives, referring to prisoners who Israel had refused to release.
Yousef said the deal "gives the Palestinians hope that more prisoners can be released."
The prisoners’ return was marred by violence at a crossing between the West Bank and Israel. Military officials said troops fired tear gas to disperse a crowd that began to riot because of delays in the release. No casualties were reported.
The deal, the most lopsided prisoner swap in Israeli history, caps a five-and-a-half-year saga that has seen multiple Israeli military offensives in Gaza, an Israeli blockade on the territory and numerous rounds of failed negotiations.