They were warmly welcomed by their family and friends, as one man stepped off the bus, threw down his Israeli prison service t-shirt, and stamped on it, symbolizing his liberation.

Among the released detainees were hundreds who were arrested in the region following the October 7, 2023 attack on southern Israel on suspicion of militancy, without any formal charges pressed against them.

According to lists shared by Palestinian officials, the freed prisoners include 445 men, 21 teenagers, and one woman, but their exact ages have not been disclosed.

In this particular round of releases, only about 50 Palestinians made their way into the occupied West Bank and east Jerusalem.

The release of prisoners followed the handover by Hamas of the bodies of four Israeli hostages to the Red Cross.

Israel had delayed the release of over 600 prisoners since Saturday to protest what they described as the harsh treatment of hostages during their handover by the militant group.

Hamas has faced criticism, including from the United Nations, for its practice of displaying hostages and coffins containing hostage remains on a stage for large audiences in Gaza before transferring them.

The militant group cited the weekend delay as a “serious violation” of the ceasefire and stated that discussions on the second phase would not commence until all prisoners were released.

The most recent prisoner releases fulfill both parties’ commitments under the initial phase of the tenuous truce, which is set to expire this week.

The status of the second phase, aiming to conclude the conflict, remains uncertain.