Hebron Greets Return of Palestinian Prisoners – in pictures

October 18, 2011 by occupiedpalestine 0 Comments

Related: Palestine’s Prisoners Release – in pictures

PNN – Palestine News Network 19.10.11 | Lo Yuk Fai

In the southern West Bank city of Hebron, a crowd of thousands gathered to greet the 30 Hebron-area prisoners released in today’s historic prisoner swap between Israel and Hamas. PNN photographer Lo Yuk Fai captured the scenes:

One of the freed prisoners holds up a baby with a Hamas headband. (Lo Yuk Fai, PNN)

A Hamas ex-prisoner speaks to the crowd in Hebron. (Lo Yuk Fai, PNN)

A boy wears a Hamas headband at the rally. Hamas engineered the prisoner swap and most of the freed prisoners are affiliated with the Islamist party. (Lo Yuk Fai, PNN)

Freed prisoners hold up the flags of the principal Palestinian political parties: Fatah (yellow), Hamas (green), and the leftist Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP, red). (Lo Yuk Fai, PNN)

Two women lead the crowd in song at the Hebron rally. Four of the 30 Hebron-area prisoners were women, all serving terms under 20 years. (Lo Yuk Fai, PNN)

A man sets off fireworks at the rally (Lo Yuk Fai, PNN).

A freed Hamas prisoner sits on another man's shoulders and waves. A further 44 prisoners from Hebron were taken to the Gaza Strip or exiled abroad. (Lo Yuk Fai, PNN)

Demonstrators fly Hamas flags at the Hebron rally. Analysts predict Hamas' popularity will surge in the aftermath of the deal, putting President Abbas' statehood bid at risk. (Lo Yuk Fai, PNN)

Source and more at the Palestine News Network