Pakistan Among Countries Considered for Resettlement of Freed Palestinian Prisoners

Pakistan, Qatar, Turkey, and Malaysia are among the countries being considered for the resettlement of Palestinian prisoners recently freed under a hostage exchange deal between Israel and Hamas, international media reported.

A total of 154 Palestinian ex-prisoners, many of whom were serving life sentences for alleged involvement in militant activities, were released as part of the deal in exchange for Israeli hostages held in Gaza. However, instead of returning home, the group was sent to Egypt, where they remain confined to a hotel under heavy surveillance.

The prisoners were transferred following a US-brokered ceasefire that took effect in Gaza earlier this month. While thousands of other freed prisoners have returned to Gaza and the West Bank, those serving life sentences were exiled to Egypt, which played a mediating role in the truce.

In the Egyptian hotel, the 154 men live under restricted movement, with no work permits and little clarity about their next destination. Rights groups have expressed concern over their uncertain legal and humanitarian status.

Among the freed prisoners is Murad Abu al-Rub, who spent two decades behind bars, and Kamil Abu Hanish, jailed for 22 years. They described their freedom as “bittersweet,” still unable to reunite with their families and living under surveillance.

Reports say that Qatar is currently covering their accommodation expenses, while negotiations continue over possible relocation destinations. According to the Palestinian Prisoners’ Club, Pakistan, Qatar, Turkey, and Malaysia have emerged as potential host countries willing to offer refuge.

Human rights organizations have long criticized Israel’s military court system for Palestinians, citing lack of fair trials and harsh prison conditions. The Palestinian Authority estimates that around 11,000 Palestinians remain in Israeli custody, many on charges linked to the conflict.

The resettlement talks, if successful, could open a humanitarian chapter in addressing the fate of exiled Palestinian prisoners who remain caught between freedom and statelessness.