Turkey has agreed to receive 15 Palestinian prisoners released by Israel as part of the ongoing Gaza ceasefire agreement, the Turkish presidency announced on Tuesday, February 4, 2025.
The National Intelligence Organisation (MIT) will oversee the transfer of the exiled prisoners from Egypt to Turkey in the first phase of the arrangement. Israel has stipulated that some prisoners serving life sentences will not be allowed to return to Palestine, prompting Turkey to step in on humanitarian grounds, the statement added.
This development follows Israel’s decision to allow Palestinians to start returning to northern Gaza after reaching another agreement with Hamas for the release of six additional hostages.
Since the ceasefire took effect on January 19, 2025, Hamas has released 18 hostages, while Israel has freed hundreds of Palestinian prisoners. The latest exchange included four Israeli female soldiers, who had been held captive for 477 days before their release.
Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump has weighed in on the crisis, describing Gaza as a “demolition site” and proposing that Egypt and Jordan take in displaced Palestinians.
With diplomatic efforts intensifying, Turkey’s involvement in accepting released prisoners signals Ankara’s growing role in the region’s humanitarian and geopolitical negotiations.
