(Communicated by the Prime Minister's Media Adviser)

In wake of the Cabinet decision to resume the diplomatic negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians and authorize a team of ministers to deal with the release of prisoners during the negotiations, the ministerial committee convened this evening (Sunday, 11 August 2013). Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon chaired the discussion; Justice Minister Tzipi Livni and Science, Technology and Space Minister Yaakov Peri also participated, as did representatives of the Prison Service, the Justice Ministry, the IDF and other agencies.

The committee approved the release of 26 prisoners. The list of prisoners will be published on the Prison Service website later tonight after notice has been given to those bereaved families that asked to be informed in advance.

The list includes 14 prisoners who will be transferred to Gaza and 12 from Judea and Samaria. Eight prisoners on the list were due to be released in the next three years and two in the next six months. The prisoner release will be carried out at least 48 hours after the list will have been published. It was emphasized in the aforesaid discussion that that if any of the released prisoners return to hostile activity against the State of Israel, they will be returned to continue serving their sentences.