GAZA, Dec. 27 (UPI) -- Palestinian prisoners were welcomed by family and friends at four crossings in Gaza and the West Bank, hours after being freed by Israel Monday.
"I cannot express my feelings ... (It's) as if I am born again and beginning a new life," said freed prisoner Ahmed Shakoura.
Palestine Liberation Organizations Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, the frontrunner in the Jan. 9 presidential election, applauded the Israeli move and called on Israel to set free all jailed Palestinians.
Israel released 159 Palestinian prisoners as a gesture to Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, who released Israeli Druze Azzam Azzam Dec. 5. Azzam was serving a 15-year prison term for spying for Israel.
The prisons' service Web site said the Palestinian prisoners were being released "in response to an appeal by the Egyptian president and as a gesture of goodwill, friendship and thanks."
Of the prisoners, 113 were serving time for security offenses, including shooting and laying explosive charges, though none was convicted of killing Israelis. The remaining 46 had been jailed for entering Israel illegally.
