Gaza hostage release: Emotional homecoming as freed prisoners reach Ramallah

Several buses carrying released Palestinian prisoners arrive in Ramallah

Last updated:
Devadasan K P, Chief Visual Editor
1 MIN READ

Dubai: Several buses carrying Palestinian prisoners released by Israel arrived in Ramallah on Monday, marking an emotional chapter in the ongoing Gaza ceasefire deal. The release came as part of a major prisoner-hostage exchange, under which Hamas freed the last group of Israeli captives.

Crowds flooded the streets of the West Bank city, waving flags and chanting “Allahu Akbar” — “God is greatest” — to welcome the returnees. Families embraced their loved ones after years of separation, as fireworks lit up the night sky. The exchange, involving nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, was hailed as a rare moment of relief amid conflict.

Video by AFP

Devadasan K P
Devadasan K PChief Visual Editor
Devadasan K P is the Chief Visual Editor at Gulf News, bringing more than 26 years of experience in photojournalism to the role. He leads the Visual desk with precision, speed, and a strong editorial instinct. Whether he’s selecting images of royalty, chasing the biggest celebrity moments in Dubai, or covering live events himself, Devadasan is always a few steps ahead of the action. Over the years, he has covered a wide range of major assignments — including the 2004 tsunami in Sri Lanka, the 2005 Kashmir earthquake, feature reportage from Afghanistan, the IMF World Bank meetings, and wildlife series from Kenya. His work has been widely recognised with industry accolades, including the Minolta Photojournalist of the Year award in 2005, the Best Picture Award at the Dubai Shopping Festival in 2008, and a Silver Award from the Society for News Design in 2011. He handles the newsroom pressure with a calm attitude, a quick response time, and his signature brand of good-natured Malayali humour. There's no fuss — just someone who gets the job done very well, every single time.

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