550 Palestinian prisoners released

The second stage of an Israel-Hamas prisoner swap was completed Sunday, as Israel released 550 Palestinian prisoners into the Palestinian territories and Jordan. Hundreds of supporters and relatives, singing, dancing and waving Palestinian flags, were waiting at Palestinian Authority headquarters in Ramallah, where the vast majority of the prisoners were to be dropped off. A spokesman for the Hamas armed wing told a news conference in Gaza City that Sunday's release completed the prisoner exchange, whereby Israel freed a total of 1,027 Palestinian prisoners in return for a soldier held captive in Gaza for more than five years.