PA min: Dates set for prisoner releases

PA Minister of Detainee Affairs Issa Qaraqe on Friday announced the dates for the release of veteran Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails.

He said Israel has agreed to release 104 Palestinian captives, most of who were jailed before the 1993 Oslo peace accords, in four stages.

The first batch of 26 captives was released on August 14, hours before the so-called 'peace' negotiations resumed.

Qaraqe claimed at a meeting with prisoners' families that the remaining captives will be released on October 29, December 29 and March 28.

Qaraqe also said the release was not related to progress in negotiations, and that no captives would be exiled.