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| Israel starts Palestinian release | |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| Israel has begun releasing more than 250 Palestinian prisoners, including six women and 11 minors. | |
| Israel had agreed to the releases as a gesture of support to the Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas. | |
| However, no prisoners from Hamas, which is locked in bitter rivalry with Mr Abbas's Fatah, are due to be freed. | However, no prisoners from Hamas, which is locked in bitter rivalry with Mr Abbas's Fatah, are due to be freed. |
| Buses are taking the prisoners from Ketziot prison in southern Israel to the West Bank town of Ramallah, where they will return to their families. | Buses are taking the prisoners from Ketziot prison in southern Israel to the West Bank town of Ramallah, where they will return to their families. |
| "We have began to free 256 prisoners, including six women," Ian Domnitz, a spokesman for Israel's prisons authority, told the AFP news agency. | |
| "They've been identified. They've been medically checked. They've had interviews with the Red Cross and this is the final stage," he said. | |
| The move was approved two weeks ago by Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's cabinet. | The move was approved two weeks ago by Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's cabinet. |
| "We want to use every means that can strengthen the moderates within the Palestinian Authority," Mr Olmert said at that time. | "We want to use every means that can strengthen the moderates within the Palestinian Authority," Mr Olmert said at that time. |
| Israel hopes to boost support for Mr Abbas whose emergency government based in the West Bank excludes the radicals of Hamas. | |
| Last month, Hamas fighters overran the Gaza Strip, overcoming their rivals from Fatah. | |
| Hamas says the release of Fatah-affiliated prisoners reinforces Mr Abbas' policy to deepen the divide between his organisation and Hamas. | Hamas says the release of Fatah-affiliated prisoners reinforces Mr Abbas' policy to deepen the divide between his organisation and Hamas. |
| About 10,000 Palestinian prisoners are being held in Israeli jails, some without charge. | About 10,000 Palestinian prisoners are being held in Israeli jails, some without charge. |
| The last time Israel freed a significant number of Palestinian prisoners was in 2005, when almost 400 were released as part of a ceasefire deal. | The last time Israel freed a significant number of Palestinian prisoners was in 2005, when almost 400 were released as part of a ceasefire deal. |