First batch of prisoner exchange: The selection process and the role of foreign workers

In an outpouring of joy, 39 Palestinian prisoners, part of the exchange deal between Hamas and Israel, expressed their victory with embraces, where the sound of celebration resonated.

Among the released were 24 women and 15 minors, notably including Hanane Barghouti, the sister of the longest-serving prisoner in Israeli jails, Nael Barghouti.

What are the criteria for selecting and prioritizing the names of the released Palestinian prisoners?

According to LBCI's sources, the names were listed based on the seniority of female and juvenile prisoners in Israeli jails without any additional criteria.

Turning to the Israeli perspective, Hamas released 13 Israeli prisoners, including the prominent 85-year-old Yaffa Adar, who had been featured in videos at the onset of the Al-Aqsa Flood Operation. The released Israelis were from the Nir Oz settlement in the Gaza Envelope.

What is the secret behind this number of prisoners from one settlement?

Nir Oz settlement is only 3 kilometers from the Gaza Strip, the most affected by the October 7 attack, given its proximity to the Gaza Strip.

Moreover, as part of the Israeli-Palestinian exchange deal, Hamas released ten Thai and one Filipino national.

What is their connection to the Israeli-Palestinian war?

According to information, the Thai prisoners worked in agriculture in Israel. Thailand is one of the largest exporters of agricultural labor to Tel Aviv. The Filipino national was caring for an elderly Israeli woman.

Why did Hamas take them as hostages?

When Operation Al-Aqsa Flood was carried out, Israelis were captured, but it emerged that there were some foreign workers besides Israelis in settlements that the resistance had stormed. Among those captured were Thai, American, French, and other nationalities, and two hostages were released at the beginning of the aggression on the Gaza Strip, signaling that the focus remains on Israeli captives.

As mentioned by the Al-Qassam Brigades, they said, "Everyone will be released. They are our guests, and we will not keep them. We are only concerned with Zionist prisoners, not foreigners."

The negotiation process for the foreign workers took place outside the exchange deal. Iran played a role, as confirmed by the Iranian embassy in Thailand. During the Iranian Foreign Minister's visit to Beirut, Iran presented a list of these hostages to Hamas officials, requesting their release as a gesture of goodwill in the friendly relations between Iran and Thailand.

The successful completion of the first batch of the prisoner exchange marks a significant milestone in the ongoing process.