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In pictures: More Palestinian prisoners freed

The 26 Palestinians had been held by Israel since before the Oslo Accords were signed in 1993.

An elderly woman excitedly awaits the release of her son from an Israeli prison.
By Rich Wiles
Published On 30 Oct 2013

Ramallah, Occupied West Bank – Thousands of Palestinians packed Ramallah’s al-Mukhata district to welcome home 26 Palestinian prisoners released as part of the ongoing negotiation process with Israel.

The presidential compound here was in a celebratory mood all evening as prisoners’ families, friends and well-wishers waited amid music and dancing. The prisoners finally arrived in Ramallah at 1:30am on Wednesday.

Twenty-one of the prisoners went to the West Bank with the remainder returning to Gaza. All of those released had been in Israeli prisons since before the Oslo Accords were signed in 1993.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas addressed the crowd in Ramallah alongside the newly released detainees, and stressed that the prisoner issue was fundamental to any possible peace agreement with Israel.

“There will be no final agreement until all of our prisoners are out of Israeli prisons,” Abbas told the jubilant crowd.

According to Issa Qarake, the Palestinian minister of Prisoners’ Affairs, there are about 5,200 Palestinians currently in Israeli prisons.

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Surrounded by national and party flags, a Palestinian holds a framed image of an imprisoned relative.
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Many people arrived early at al-Mukhata and had to wait for hours until the released prisoners arrived.
An elderly woman sits in front of the many media crews who were in Ramallah to report on the prisoner release.
A poster showing a prisoner is held aloft by a Palestinian waiting for the return of the newly released prisoners.
Young people climb on top of each other to raise a Palestinian flag high in Ramallah.
A group of Palestinian women sing and clap as they await the prisoners(***) arrival.
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Issa Abd-Rabbo(***)s mother arrives at al-Mukhata to welcome her son home after more than 29 years in Israeli prisons. He was serving a life sentence for killing two Israelis south of Jerusalem in 1984.
After 29 years in prison, Issa Abd-Rabbo finally gets the chance to kiss his mother again.
Palestinian youth hold posters showing one of the prisoners.
Some of the newly released prisoners stand alongside Palestinian National Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to greet the crowd.
The newly released prisoners join Mahmoud Abaas and Issa Qarake, the PA Minister of Prisoner(***)s Affairs, in a moment of prayer on the stage in al-Mukhata.
One of the released prisoners is helped through the crowds in al-Mukhata.
Journalists surround one of the released prisoners in search of interviews.