Hamas say over 200,000 Gazans welcome freed Palestinians
Hamas said over 200,000 people gathered in Gaza City on Tuesday for a mass rally to celebrate the return of prisoners freed under the swap deal with Israel.
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Gaza's Hamas prime minister, Ismail Haniya, was expected to address the rally, as well as Yehia Sinwar, a senior leader with Hamas's armed wing who was among those released on Tuesday.
Meanwhile in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, thousands of excited family members gathered to welcome the 296 newly-released prisoners home, many of whom could be seen wearing green Hamas sashes and wiping tears from their eyes.
There were similar scenes of jubilation across the West Bank, with many thousands of people packing into the city of Ramallah to welcome 117 detainees home, cheering and waving flags as they got off four buses outside the Muqataa presidential compound.
Israel began releasing 1,027 prisoners in two stages Tuesday in exchange for the handover of soldier Shalit, who was snatched by Gaza militants in June 2006.
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