Israel will release 602 Palestinian prisoners on Saturday, including 50 Palestinians who have been sentenced to life imprisonment and 60 others with lengthy prison terms, according to the Palestinian Prisoners Media Office in Gaza. The release is a key component of the first phase of the swap deal, which followed the Palestinian factions’ submission of the names of six Israeli hostages set for release on Saturday. In a statement, the media office confirmed that, in addition to the 50 life-sentenced Palestinians and 60 with high-security sentences, 47 Palestinians from the 2011 “Shalit Deal,” who had been rearrested, will also be freed.
