Middle East News
Israel releases nine Hamas members of Palestinian parliament
Sep 2, 2009, 16:20 GMT
Ramallah - Nine Palestinian lawmakers from the Islamist movement Hamas were released from Israeli jails on Wednesday after serving their terms in prison, according to Hamas officials.
The group of Hamas lawmakers were the largest number released from Israeli jails in one day.
The nine, who come from different West Bank cities, have served 40 months in prison after Israel rounded up more than 40 West Bank Hamas lawmakers and leaders in a reprisal move following the Hamas abduction of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit near the Gaza Strip.
With the release of the nine, 24 Hamas lawmakers remain in prison in Israel, serving either a sentence or held under administrative detention without trial or charge, said the Hamas officials.
Two lawmakers of the rival Fatah movement of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and one from the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine are also being held in Israel.
Israel rounded up Hamas lawmakers shortly after the capture of Shalit in a June 2006 raid on an Israeli army base bordering Gaza, saying they were members of a terrorist organization.
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