Killers of Nissim Toledano, Rabbi Raziel Shevach among terrorists to be freed in hostage deal
“If he is the price of returning the hostages,” Yael Shevach, Rabbi Raziel’s wife, wrote to X/Twitter after hearing the news, “then with love.”
The motion to change the already approved list of terrorists to be released in exchange for the remaining hostages in Gaza passed on Friday morning, N12 reported.
National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, Otzma Yehudit MKs Yitzhak Wasserlauf and Amichai Eliyahu voted against the motion.
The modification involves replacing several Fatah-affiliated terrorists serving life sentences with Hamas terrorists serving similar terms. Ministers were asked to urgently approve the revised list within 30 minutes.
Among those expected to be added to the release list are Mahmoud Moussa Issa, who kidnapped and murdered Border Police officer Nissim Toledano in 1992, and Ahmad Jamal Ahmad Qanba, who murdered Rabbi Raziel Shevach in the 2018 terror attack near Havat Gilad.
“If he is the price of returning the hostages,” Yael Shevach, Rabbi Raziel’s wife, wrote to X/Twitter after hearing the news, “then with love.”
Other terrorists included are Imad Salah Abd al-Fattah Qawasmeh, a senior Hamas terrorist responsible for several deadly attacks, and Murad Badr Abdallah Dais, who murdered Dafna Meir in her home in the settlement of Otniel in 2016.
Palestinian terrorists from Fatah carry their weapons during a parade in the Balata refugee camp in the West Bank city of Nablus, September 29, 2023 (credit: NASSER ISHTAYEH/FLASH90)
Terms set in the Gaza deal
Israel is expected to receive 20 living hostages within the next few days, no later than 72 hours after the government formally approves the Palestinian prisoner release. According to assessments, the exchange could begin as early as Saturday or Sunday and conclude by Monday.
In the second stage of the deal, the remains of the 28 deceased hostages are to be returned. The IDF and security officials believe that the remains will be returned in phases, depending on the progress of negotiations.
Under the agreement, Israel will release approximately 1,950 Palestinians, including 250 serving life sentences and 1,700 detainees held since October 7, 2023, among them women and minors. The deal also sets a ratio of one Israeli body for every 15 Palestinian bodies returned.
Amichai Stein and Jerusalem Post Staff contributed to this report.
