Tens of thousands of flag-waving Palestinians in Gazacelebrated the homecoming Tuesday of hundreds of prisoners swapped for anIsraeli soldier, and the crowd exhorted militants to seize more soldiers forfuture exchanges.
Hamas, which had negotiated Tuesday's swap, organized a masscelebration that turned into a show of strength for the Islamic militantmovement that had seized Gaza from its moderate rival, Palestinian PresidentMahmoud Abbas, in 2007. Tens of thousands crammed into a sandy lot, where ahuge stage was set up, decorated with a mural depicting Israeli soldier GiladSchalit's capture in a June 2006 at an army base near the Gaza border.
"The people want a new Gilad," the crowd chantedin a call for more attempts to capture Israeli soldiers in order to freethousands more Palestinian prisoners remaining in Israeli jail.
Thousands hoisted green Hamas flags, while a far smallernumber raised the banners of rival movement Fatah, led by Abbas. The releasedprisoners were making their way from the border with Egypt, on the southernedge of the Gaza Strip, to Gaza City in the north, and many thousands werelining the street to cheer on the convoy.
In the West Bank, Abbas addressed a crowd of severalthousand, including released prisoners and their relatives. In an attempt atunity, he shared a stage with three Hamas leaders in the West Bank and at onepoint, the four men raised clasped hands in triumph.
Still, Abbas is likely to suffer politically as a result ofthe swap, the most significant for the Palestinians in nearly three decades.Over years of negotiating with Israel, Abbas has only been able to bring aboutthe release of those who had little time left on their sentences.
In contrast, a majority of the 477 prisoners freed Tuesdayhad been serving life terms for killing Israelis, and their release violated along-standing Israeli pledge not to free those with "blood on theirhands." An additional 550 were to be freed in two months.
In his speech, Abbas praised the released prisoners as"freedom fighters."
He suggested that his method of negotiations was alsobearing fruit, saying that "there is an agreement between us and theIsraeli government on another batch (of releases) similar to this batch afterit finishes."
His comments marked the first time he referred to anadditional prisoner release, and there was no immediate Israeli comment. AnAbbas aide, Saeb Erekat, later explained that Netanyahu's predecessor, EhudOlmert, had promised a release of a large number of Palestinian prisonersfollowing any Schalit deal. Erekat said Abbas would now ask internationalmediators that Israel keep the promise.
More than 300 of the prisoners arrived in Gaza, the rest inthe West Bank.
In both locations, relatives eagerly awaited the returnees.
In Gaza City, Azhar Abu Jawad, 30, celebrated the return ofa brother who had been sentenced to life for killing an Israeli in 1992. Shesaid she last saw him eight years ago, before Israel banned visits by Gazans.
"My happiness is indescribable," she said."We'll get him a bride and everything. I just spoke to him. He's so happy.This is a reminder, God doesn't forget anyone."
Among those arriving in Gaza were prisoners who grew up inthe West Bank, but were being deported to Gaza. Israel's security chiefs havesaid they wanted to keep prisoners still deemed dangerous from the West Bank,which has relatively open borders with Israel. Gaza is tightly sealed by anIsraeli border fence.
Sobhia Jundiya, a resident of the West Bank town ofBethlehem, traveled to Egypt with her husband to catch a brief glimpse of theirson, Ibrahim, 28, who was being released after 10 years. He had been sentencedto multiple life terms for an attack that killed 12 and wounded 50.
"It's better he be in Gaza even if I can't see him,it's better than prison in Israel," she said. "I hope to see him fora few minutes," she said, as she began crying. "This is the day Ihave been dreaming of for 10 years. I haven't touched his hand in 10years."
In the end, the Jundiyas were unable to see their son,because the prisoners' convoy did not stop during its brief swing throughEgypt. The couple will try to go to Gaza, but it's difficult for West Bankersto obtain such a permit from Israel or Egypt.
Israel prevents most movement between the West Bank andGaza.
In the West Bank, released prisoners were also given ahero's welcome.
Fakhri Barghout, 57, was carried on the shoulders of one manand was surrounded by chanting relatives. Sentenced to life for killing anIsraeli, Barghouti had spent 34 years in prison, making him one of thelongest-serving inmates.
"There will be no happiness as long as our brothersstill in jail," he said. "I can't feel good when I'm leaving mybrothers behind."
Barghouti leaves behind a son, Shadi, who is serving a27-year sentence for involvement in an armed group and at one point shared hisfather's cell.
Earlier Tuesday, hundreds of relatives of prisoners hadwaited at a West Bank checkpoint for a first glimpse at their loved ones.However, the buses carrying the prisoners were instead driven directly toAbbas' headquarters in the West Bank.
Clashes erupted between about 200 young Palestinians at thecheckpoint and Israeli soldiers several hundred yards (meters) away, after thefamilies were told they had waited in the wrong place. Israeli troops firedtear gas and Palestinians threw stones for about half an hour. Some of theyoung men climbed atop a separation fence near the checkpoint and draped itwith flags of Hamas and Abbas' Fatah movement.