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29 more Palestinians are released
Associated Press
Published October 3, 2007
JERUSALEM - Israel completed the release of 86 Palestinian prisoners on Tuesday, a gesture meant to improve prospects for a U.S.-sponsored Mideast peace conference later this fall. The prisoner release came a day before Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas were to begin working out their joint vision of a peace deal at a meeting in Jerusalem. They hope to present a framework agreement to the international community at the November summit. Israel sent 29 Palestinians back to the Gaza Strip on Tuesday, following the release of 57 prisoners in the West Bank a day earlier. Israel hopes the release will help the moderate Abbas in his fierce rivalry with the Hamas militant group, which seized control of the Gaza Strip in June. Most of the prisoners who were freed are members of Abbas' Fatah movement. None belonged to Hamas. In apparent internal Palestinian violence, four people were killed when a car exploded near the Hamas marine police headquarters in Gaza City, Hamas and hospital officials said. The dead were not identified. After initially blaming Israel, Hamas backed away, saying it was investigating. The Israeli military said it was not involved. At the Erez border crossing between Israel and northern Gaza, dozens of ecstatic Palestinians awaited the arrival of their newly released relatives. Many waved yellow Fatah flags and sang Fatah songs. Their occasion was briefly marred when dozens of people rushed toward the freed prisoners as they came through the crossing. Israeli soldiers opened fire, wounding two people, including a photographer for the Reuters news agency, Palestinian medical officials said. Israel holds about 11,000 Palestinian prisoners. Because so many families have relatives in Israeli jails, securing their release is a high priority in Palestinian society. Israel said none of the prisoners released this week were convicted in deadly attacks on Israelis.
[Last modified October 3, 2007, 01:17:45]
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